Raiek
by PerfectLight777
Summary: Under the leadership of Master Commander James Carser, six Spartans travel to the world of Raiek. Can they eliminate the Covenant plan to destroy Earth? (FINISHED!)
1. Prologue and Chapter 1

PROLOGUE  
  
"EMP device activated. Power turbines up and running. Excellency, we have the planet under control. Delivery of the plasma will commence in three days."  
"Excellenct! Keep the electromagnetic pulse device stable."  
"General Zaran, we have word of the arrival of humans in the area. What shall we do to stop them?"  
"Let them come, Colonel, and if they try and stop us, we will break them in half!"  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
0937 Hours, August 12, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ UNSC battle cruiser Pillar of Winter, Orbit around Earth  
  
"Captain, we've got a problem," Lieutenant Sellers said, holding up a report disk. The Captain of the ship Pillar of Winter, a strong, diligant man, turned to face his small Lieutenant. "On the planet Raiek, we've spotted some signs of life. Although we're not exactly sure what it is, we think it is more of the Covenant forces."  
Captain Hank Moores was suddenly interested. He snatched the disk from the frightened soldier and read it quickly, beaming the text onto his retina. "I've been waiting for this ever since the Pillar of Autumn went down!" the Captain said, remembering his friend, Captain Keyes', death.  
A year ago, the Pillar of Autumn found a structure called Halo. The one Spartan soldier they had left, Master Chief aka John 117, single-handedly obliterated the entire ring-shaped hula-hoop planet, with only the help of his AI partner, Cortana.  
Since then, the UNSC had worked to find the rest of the Covenant forces and completely destroy them. They had also used this time to train quite a few more Spartan soldiers for UNSC use. Also, instead of kidnapping them from childhood as they originally did, they took willing and able Marines, transforming them into the Spartan soldiers. Their work was called the 'SPARTAN-III project.'  
Jacob Keyes was the Captain of the downed Pillar of Autumn. Master Chief John 117 used the Autumn to blow up Halo. However, the Marines and other groups constructed another ship, called Pillar of Winter, with the same honeycombed structure to give it extra resistance in battle. Both ships could take a heck of a punishment. Also, with the generators they had on-board, their MAC gun could fire three shots per charge instead of just one.  
"How many Spartan soldiers do we have on-board the ship?" Captain Moores asked, turning to face his Lieutenant.  
"We have six, I believe," the scared troop responded.  
"Excellent! Read their names to me!"  
"Master Commander James Carser; incomparable fighting skills, has done some of the best combat stunts ever seen!"  
The Captain nodded. "I'll use him!"  
Lieutenant Sellers continued. "We also have General ranked soldier, who goes by the name of Alex Daufel; Outstanding driving and incredible tactics. Master Chief Bryce McClain; has the best climbing skills out of the entire group!"  
"Yes. They'll do great! Continue."  
"Um...let's see..." Sellers checked his files once more. "Oh, yes! Colonel Jason Lent; holds the farthest jumping record, and has excellent strafing ability! He's also the quickest person, followed closely by James and Bryce. We also have Lieutenant Jarrett Daufel, Alex's brother; has the longest throw of a grenade we've ever seen! Lastly, we have Sergeant Brent Ashley; marksman skills are outstanding." The Lieutenant looked up, smiling. "I think they will do fine."  
"I believe so. We'll sent them in first, and have them parachute from Foehammer. The one we rebuilt. Then, they land and take out the main defenses. Later, we dispatch Marines and a Scorpion to mop up the remnants. And, plant a bomb that will destroy Raiek once our forces are off of it. Those plans are, of course, subject to change."  
"Excellent, Captain," Sellers said, turning to give them their orders.  
"Oh, and Sellers..." the Captain said, waving his hand.  
"Yes?"  
"Wish them good luck."  
  
Dropship Foehammer, named for the brave pilot Carol Rawley, aka Foehammer, that had aided John 117 in his Halo conflict, flew in low over Raiek, ready to dispatch the Spartan soldiers. James, Alex, Bryce, Jason, Jarrett, and Brent. They all had their orders, and they were all ready to go. Each was equipped with a pistol, an assault rifle, and four Frag Grenades. All except Alex and Brent. Alex had a sniper's rifle strapped to his back, replacing the pistol, and Brent had a Jackhammer launcher (essentially a rocket launcher), replacing the assault rifle.  
The jump director Patrick O'Hara stood up, as the soldiers unbuckled from their tiny seats next to the hatch and grabbed their parachutes. The jump director grabbed the door handle and slid it open, as Foehammer moved slowly above the base.  
"Now," he began, yelling over the roar of the engine and the whipping wind, "you will drop down approximately two-hundred feet. I'll tell each of you when to trip your chutes. Just try and get in and out in one piece! You think it'll be hard?"  
"Just a walk in the park," James said, strapping on his gear along with everyone else.  
"Good luck!" the jump director shouted.  
James gave a thumbs-up. He neared the edge, and back-flipped out Alex came up and front-flipped out. Bryce and Jason went together, each doing side-flips out the door. Jarret and Brent went, falling backwards.  
In the air, Alex checked his monitor. "All right, everyone, we've got one-hundred-and-fifty feet until we pop our shoots. Just be ready!"  
"Just stay with the course map and we'll be fine!" Jason shouted back.  
"Back in no time!" Bryce said, giving a thums-up sign.  
"Be in and out!" Brent said.  
"Just like the good old days!" Jarret yelled.  
The jump director's voice came in through their mics. "All right, trip your chutes!" Each soldier let loose their chutes. Suddenly, Bryce heard Brent cry out.  
"It won't open!" he yelled, struggling to free the chute. Bryce spun and saw that Brent's chute was caught in his life-support system backpack! Thinking quickly, Bryce grabbed a knife and raised it, ready to cut his line and try to save Brent.  
"Bryce!" James yelled when he realized the situation. "Bryce, cease and desist! That's an order! Besides, even if you get to Brent, what will hold you up?" he yelled as Bryce's chute fell away and he began to plummet faster.  
"I'll use Brent's chute!" Bryce called back.  
Flattening his arms and legs to his body, and angling downwards, Bryce quickly caught up to Brent. Grabbing the caught chute, he managed to free it from Brent's pack. It silently caught the air, and they slowed dramatically. Every Spartan soldier above cheered with happiness!  
Alex was the first to touch down on the rim that outlined the entire base, as it was built over a void. Surrounding the compound was a large chasm, and the thing was built on the center island in the middle. Far down below, in the chasm, there was water, that led to who-knows-where. The compound itself was a large ring with an open area in the center, along with other open areas scattered around. There were mounted guns all across the top, manned by either a Grunt (small, weak alien that wears light battle armor) or an Elite (large, cat-like warrior that weilds a Plasma pistol and has blue, red, black, or gold armor, depending on rank).  
Recently, the Covenant trained new Sniper Elites. They wore green armor and were armed with the new Plasma Snipers. They were perched atop the base, or on ledges built on the other side of the void the base was built on. They would fire down quickly and then hide before they were spotted.  
Working quickly, Alex cut his chute and let it fall. He'd landed on the other side of the void, but that was the plan. Somehow, they'd have to find their way across. If they'd landed too near the base, their chutes would have been torn by the Elites firing up at them. Then, James and Jason landed softly next to him. As they cut their lines, James pulled out a tracker device, while Jason and Alex whipped out their assault rifles. Jarrett landed soon after, his pistol already out.  
All of them looked into the sky for Brent and Bryce. "Over there!" Jason said, pointing. Everyone followed the direction of his gaze. Brent and Bryce's awkward fall had left them quite a ways away, atop a row of cliffs. They landed much higher than the others, and with more of a thump! As they were both surviving off one chute, they landed rather hard as they hit the ground in the cold, snowy haze.  
Now, they had to find a way to quickly get across. As the commander, that was James's job. He quickly scanned the area with his scanner, the readings coming out on the inside of his covered face, on the glass part of his helmet.  
Jason and Alex looked across the void, searching for any hidden Snipers. Jarrett watched as Bryce and Brent slowly climbed down the side of the cliff.  
Suddenly, Jarrett shouted out. He'd spotted something with his own scanner. "Guys! There's a Sniper over there!" James quickly spun around. The sniper was aimed right for the rope that was holding Brent up, with Bryce leaning over, lowering him slowly down. James's visor zoomed in. The Sniping Elite's finger was squeezing the trigger. Then, the gun fired!  
Past the Commander and his group, half a mile away, Bryce slowly let Brent down.  
"Don't worry, Brent!" Bryce called. "We'll be back to the others in no time." When he looked up, he saw James and Jarrett looking their way, with Alex and Jason shifting uncomfortably. He thought he could hear Jarrett yell. Then, he heard a gunshot!  
"Brent, look out for the - " he was cut off when he heard Brent yell out.  
"Bryce!" he yelled up.  
Bryce looked down in time to see that Brent's line was snapped, and he was hanging by a thread. As fast as he could, Bryce reeled Brent back up the side. There was a second shot. But this time, it was not the Sniper. It was Alex, firing his own sniper's rifle. The Sniper Elite was hit right in the head. Without a sound, the Elite tumbled over the side of his ledge, and hit the ground...hard. He was undoubtedly dead.  
"Hey, pull me back up!" Brent yelled.  
"I'm trying!" Bryce screamed back down. The MJOLNIR armor was useful, but it did have its faults. One being that it was heavy.  
The cord was just barely holding together now. James, Alex, Jarrett, and Jason were all running at full speed towards the pair of soldiers. Jason was in the lead, easily outrunning the rest. Suddenly, Brent's line snapped. He screamed as the ground came rushing up at him. He figured it was all over. 


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2  
  
1228 Hours, August 13, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Surface of planet Raiek  
  
He figured it was all over. Everyone ran as fast as they could, but Jason was much faster. Being so quick, Jason got there way ahead of anyone. Since he held the world's jumping record, Jason took a flying leap. He caught Brent in his arms just before Brent hit the ground. They both rolled in the air and slammed into the ground. Everyone else huddled around them.  
In Jason's effort to save Brent, he had accidently rolled under Brent, who landed on top of him. His systems were crushed and damaged, and his pistol looked about ready to snap in half. But when Jason stood up, everyone was so happy for him that he forgot about the pain in his leg where Brent had landed, and his possibly broken ribs.  
After Jason had been congratuled repeatedly, they both managed to stand all the way up. Bryce was slowly lowering himself by a rope.  
"Great work, Jason," Alex said, slapping the young soldier on his back.  
While everyone was celebrating, James was peering at the base. Always the silent one, he never partied with the rest of them. He was all business. Looking at the far edge of the base, he noticed seven large figures rushing straight towards them, at full speed.  
"Oh, no..." James began, turning to face his fellow soldiers.  
"What is it?" Brent asked.  
"Commander Elites!" James cried.  
The Commander Elite was the highest ranking Elite the Covenant had. They wore golden armor and carried long Plasma Swords that could take any Spartan out in one hit.  
In what seemed like no time, the Commander Elites were on them. The Spartans fled. Alex shot a grappling hook straight up a cliff. Fastening the hook, he began to climb. Suddenly, the first Commander took a flying leap at him. Alex spun quickly and smacked the Elite right in the face with the butt of his assault rifle, just as it was about to land next to him. Stunned, the Elite fell to the ground, breaking his Plasma Sword. It was now defensless.  
Brent had little trouble with the Elites. He whipped out his Jackhammer and began to fire. He obliterated three of them in a cloud of fire within seven seconds of the battle. The trick with a Jackahmmer was to aim at the ground below your target so the blast would take them out. Usually, if a soldier aimed at the target itself from far away, they'd miss. Also, if the ground wasn't possible, walls behind the target were effective areas to fire upon and hope the ensuing explosion would engulf the target.  
James quickly scaled a ladder that was sitting on a cliff side as a Commander Elite came for him. It was out over the void, easily accessible by Elites. Struggling, he tried to pull himself up. Suddenly, the Elite took a flying leap and landed on the ladder below him. Pulling out his Plasma Rifle, he took aim, right at James's head.  
Then, an incoming bullet took the Elite out in one shot, going right through its shield. Instantly dead, he fell from the ladder, into the water below. Looking up, James spotted Alex on a cliff across from him, just lowering his smoking sniper's rifle.  
Back on the floor of the cliff, Jarrett and Jason were trying to outsmart an Elite. They were backed up on a ledge overlooking the water. The Elite took a running charge at the pair. Jason leaped high into the air and landed a powerful kick which sent the Elite flying forwards. Unfortunately, Jarrett happened to be in the way! He was taken with the Elite. Together, the pair traveled over the edge!  
Bryce blasted the final Elite from a ledge and ran to aid Jarrett. He and Jason looked over the edge, as James, Alex, and Brent came up behind them.  
"Heeeeeelp!" Jarrett cried. He was holding onto a tiny rock that stuck out from the cliff face.  
"We'll be right down!" James yelled back.  
Alex and Jason quickly planted an anchor in the stone face, while James threaded a rope through it. Brent took a hold of the rope and Bryce tied himself to it. "I'll be back." Bryce said. He slowly let himself over the edge, using his feet to support himself on the cliff wall.  
Jarrett held on with one hand to the rock that jutted from the cliff face. His feet dangled beneath him, swaying back and forth. Looking down, he saw the Elite far below, impaled on the rocks.  
Bryce reached for Jarrett, but he slipped from the rock. Jarrett closed his eyes and waited for it to be over, but realized he had stopped moving. When he opened them, he was surprised to find that Bryce had quickly slipped out of the harness and was hanging from it with one hand, and using the other to hold Jarrett.  
Suddenly, there were sounds of gunshots! Alex and James looked up, to see that Sniper Elites were firing at them from above!  
Reacting quickly, Brent tried to haul both of the guys up, but they were too heavy. Suddenly, they began to slip from his grasp.  
"A little help down here, guys!" Bryce yelled up.  
Brent felt the rope slide from his hands. He expected to hear screams of his falling comrades. But when he looked again, he saw that Alex had grabbed the rope and was holding it with one hand. Then, Alex pulled both Bryce and Jarrett back up with one quick yank of the rope.  
"Great job, Alex," James said, slapping him on the back. "Now, we've got to get out of here!"  
Everyone ran for cover behind some boulders that were covered with ice, as bullets continued to rain down from the fire of Sniper Elites. Jason bit his lip under his mask, as he knew it was only a matter of time before one of them was struck by a bullet.  
Alex quickly pulled out his sniper's rifle and began to fire at the Elites. He hit each Elite, one by one. After about a minute, he had wasted nine of them.  
"This boulder won't protect us for long!" Brent said. "We'll have to find—"  
He was cut off. A Banshee was flying overhead. Next to that was a dropship. Everyone in the group knew what was happening next. The Banshee dropped a large bomb, that had sent everyone in the team flying in different directions. Brent's Jackhammer was freed from his pack. It skittered on the ground and rolled to the canyon edge. However, Jason's quick reflexes allowed him to catch it before it fell off.  
Jarrett looked up at the passing Banshee. He had stolen a Plasma Grenade from one of the Commander Elites. These Grenades stuck to whatever they hit. He aimed upwards and hurled it at the Banshee, which was about twenty feet straight up.  
James and Bryce watched as the Grenade whistled through the air and attached itself right onto the belly of the passing Banshee.  
"Nice throw!" James yelled as they all ran for cover. Reason being that once a Plasma Grenade sticks to something, it has a three second fuse...  
After the explosion, Alex found the control panel for the energy bridge that would lead them across. Jason tossed the Jackhammer to James, who snatched it in mid-air. As the bridge snapped on, everyone headed across. All except Brent. When he began to run, his foot became lodged in the side of the bridge after it activated. Now, everyone else was right inside.  
Somehow, Brent freed himself. He came running across the bridge. Everyone yelled at him to hurry up. Suddenly, as he neared the door, it began to close. The Covenant had activated the blast doors to close, keeping more soldiers from getting in and from getting back out. Brent kicked it into full gear and ran as fast as he could possibly go. He heard a whistling sound behind him. The Banshee was crashing, and it's trajectory would send it right into Brent if he didn't make it in. 


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3  
The door was closing, Brent was running, and the Banshee was crashing. Now that Brent was over half-way across, he would never make it back to the other side before the Banshee blew up the entire bridge.  
James watched with fear. His HUD scanners saw the trajectory and Brent's speed. At the rate he was going, the door would close too soon, and Brent wouldn't make it, and the Banshee would land right on top of him.  
"Brent, run the other way!" James yelled. "You won't make it!"  
"I have to make it!" Brent shouted back.  
As the door closed upwards and downwards, it left only a tiny sliver in the middle. Right before it closed, everyone could hear Brent scream. He slammed right into the door. The team inside could see Brent's back. He was holding up his hands, screaming for his life. The last anyone saw of Brent was his back. The door closed, and they heard a muffled scream, followed by an explosion.  
Instantly afterwards, the door bent inwards, like it had been hit. Everyone fell back, shouting.  
The entire team just stood there, letting the event sink in. Brent had been incinerated. There was no way he had made it. They could hear his screams still ringing in their heads. James was the first to snap out of it.  
"So, you think we should get going into the base before they catch up to us?" he asked, jerking his thumb farther into the tunnel.  
Everyone looked up at him. "Yeah, I guess we should get going," Alex said, standing up.  
Suddenly, Jarrett sank to his knees. "I can't believe Brent went out like that! It's not right! He didn't even get a chance to fight with us!"  
"Brent knew the risks," Alex said without emotion. Spartans weren't supposed to show emotion. "He was prepared to fight and die for his planet. Moores will be proud of his efforts right up to Brent's death. Don't worry about him so much."  
Jarrett looked up and nodded. Jason and Bryce were in the lead, heading into the tunnel. James was in the middle, with Alex and Jarrett taking up the rear.  
Each of them had a weapon out. Jason, James, and Alex all had assault rifles. Jarrett had a pistol, and Bryce had Brent's old Jackhammer.  
"Um, excuse me," Jason said, interrupting everyone's thoughts.  
"Yes?" everyone said, turning.  
"How exactly are we supposed to break into a base when we're outnumbered six-hundred-to-one?"  
James smiled under his helmet. "Well, with a lot of skill, and a little bit of luck..."  
  
The entire team, now reduced to only five, crept silently through the abandoned halls of the complex. The place was so big, they had no trouble sneaking in. Not even one Elite or Hunter was in sight. Everyone just hoped it would stay that way.  
"Do you think we're heading the right way?" Bryce asked.  
James looked down and brought up a hologram emitter. He activated it and a small image of the complex came up. He shifted it and the view went to the inside. Then, it showed where they were, indicated by five flashing green lights. "Yeah, just past our location should be a control room for this wing of the base."  
"That's good," Jarret said. "I'm beginning to get tired."  
"We will have to find a place to camp for the night," Alex said, panting under his helmet. "The only thing is, we'll have to sleep in our suits. I'm not sure how breathable the air is here, so..."  
"Yes, if I know what's best, we'd better remain inside the MJOLNIR suits," James said, motioning forward. "I think we can camp out in the center of the compound. There's plenty of space there, and if we can find a cave or something like that, no Covenant warrior could find us."  
Everyone agreed, so it was settled. They were to look around the center open area of the base in stealth mode and find a cave. Once they did, they'd set up for the night, and make sure they weren't found.  
As they walked along, they remained silent. There was nothing much to say. Suddenly, James's advanced scanners picked up an alarm in the distance. "Halt," he said, holding out a hand to stop everyone. "I'm picking up a sound from the control room of the base. It's an alarm!" he screamed.  
Just as he finished his sentence, dozens of barking and growling Grunts along with a handful of Elites came running from behind them. "Get out of here!" Bryce shouted. The blood-thirsty Grunts growled and ran on all- fours, charging after their prey.  
Every soldier took off running, as plasma and energy came whizzing by them. They were stopped when an Elite dropped from above them. However, Alex took it out with one swing of his assault rifle.  
"Move!" James shouted, shoving his comrades down the hall. "We have to stay away from the Covenant! Bryce, use your Jackhammer to hold them off!" As he finished his sentence, he tossed a Fragmentation Grenade down the hallway. Every Covenant warrior scrambled to get out of its blast zone, but they were too slow.  
After four Grunts and an Elite were taken down, with two Elites injured, they decided to back off, especially since Bryce produced a Jackhammer. "You like that, freaks?" Bryce screamed at them. "Come get some of this!" He fired a rocket down the hall. Screams of pain could be heard as five more Grunts went down, and two more minor Elites.  
Suddenly, the Elites and Grunts were gone. "Took care of them," Bryce muttered, rejoining the group.  
"Not necessarily," Alex said, pointing down the hallway. Two Hunters, covered in their blue battle armor, armed with a shield and a fuel rod cannon, and towering at eight feet tall, came loping into view.  
"Oh, crap..." Bryce muttered. "Let's go the other way!" Every soldier hauled butt, and the Hunters charged.  
"ROOOOOAAAAAAR!" The Hunters screamed, following the soldiers.  
"Man!" Jason cried. "They never give up. We have to get out of this hallway!"  
Suddenly, James stopped. "You guys keep going. I'll meet up with you outside. Wait for me in the nook behind the main Shade defenses." Everyone nodded and continued. James, meanwhile, ducked into a side passage in the hallway.  
He held a pistol in his hand, breathing hard under his helmet. As the steam built up, the automatic suit regulators kicked in and cooled it instantly. However, sweat continued to drop down his forehead as the Hunters ran by.  
Jumping out behind them, James screamed at the top of his lungs as they charged by after his crew. "Gotcha!" Aiming the pistol at one Hunter's back (the site of their orange weakspots), James pulled the trigger, and the Hunter collapsed. The second spun around, and a well-aimed pistol shot put him down.  
Taking off after his crew, James smiled to himself.  
  
Alex was second-in-command, so in the absence of their Commander, he took charge. "Come on, everyone. We need to make sure we rendezvous with James in the center field. He'll be there very soon, and if we're not there, he'll come looking for us. Brave as that may be, he won't last long alone in here."  
Jason laughed. "Only person that could do that would be the Master Chief himself."  
The team of four troops made their way further down the hall, encountering no problems along the way. Just then, Jarrett spoke up. "I wonder if we're going in the right direction." His armor clanked as he slowed to a stop. "Check it out, sir."  
Stopping, Alex pulled out a small holo-pad. He tapped a button on the side, and a small map popped up. Indicating the narrow hallway they were in, Alex nodded, his mechanical voice sparking through his helmet. "Affirmative, looks like we're going the right way. But the only problem we might run into is a room several rooms away with automated guns in it. I assume even James would have a problem with that as well."  
Jason took his turn. "Maybe if we go around that area," he said, pointing to a side-tunnel. "Look, there's a small passageway over here. If we take that route, we'll be able to avoid that room."  
Alex put away and map and hooked it back onto his belt. "Yes, but will James know this? Bryce?" Bryce looked at his Master Chief. "Try and contact James. We need to relay this information to him. There's no telling where he is inside this maze of a fortress."  
Bryce nodded. "On it."  
Nodding, Alex stood up, motioning to his crew. "All right, let's get going. That rendezvous point won't come to us."  
The four of them took off down the hall, weilding their various guns. Bryce was still trying to get a hold of their Commander. 


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4  
  
1448 Hours, August 13, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Somewhere in Raiek Compound  
  
"We detect the Sparten soldiers within the compound."  
In the core of the Fortress on planet Raiek, a golden Elite stood before his master. He was nervous, speaking before the Prophet who foretold of the soldiers' arrival. The Prophet talked in his normal 'we' and 'us' mannerism, which the Elite found annoying and aggravating. "We know you may be nervous, young one, but you have no reason to be. You were not given that golden armor for no reason. Weild your plasma sword with expert skills, and you shall be rewarded. Lead your team to victory, and kill the Spartans. If you do this, you will make us very happy."  
The Elite spoke in a strange tongue. "Sey, I lliw od sa uoy hsiw." The mixed language was that of the Covenant race, spoken by primarily the Elites. But the UNSC had a trick to decoding it. They read the text backwards, and the words usually fit.  
Hovering in the air, legs crossed, his headdress bobbing as he floated easily, the Prophet nodded. "Of course you will. Go, our son, and do as you are bid." The headdress itself was a brilliant brass color, and the Prophet wore a red robe with a gold underrobe. Tucked somewhere beneath all that clothing was the Prophet's grav belt, that allowed it to hover nearly a foot off the floor.  
The Elite grunted, clenched his lower jaw, and turned on his heel, heading out the door to return to his troops.  
  
James sprinted down the hallway, and quickly found himself lost. Holding his assault rifle nervously in his hand, he slowed his pace and breathed for a second. Just then, a voice sparkled over his headset. Tapping the side of his helmet, James spoke into it. "Say again."  
James recognized the voice of Bryce easily as it came in clearer this time. "James, we are not far from your location. Are you on your way to the open area in the center of the compound?"  
Speaking into the mic was a certain quietness, James tried to get some information from his crewmember. "Affmirative. Any word from O'Hara on- board Foehammer?"  
Bryce's voice came back through the mic, a little more shakily this time. "Of course. Patrick relayed some information to us from Moores. The Marines are on their way to the center area, where some Covenant warriors have been spotted. Mostly Grunts, but they appear to be working on some sort of cannon. According to their calculations, it's aimed right for the Pillar of Winter in orbit."  
James sighed. He'd feared this would happen. Grunts were weak, but hordes of them could be dangerous. They wore outfits that simulated the frozen environment of their home world. The packs strapped to their backs was one weakness. If shot, they could take out multiple Grunts after the explosion.  
Moving further down the hall, assault rifle in hand, James continued to speak into the mic. "Is there any way for the Marines to handle it without us? We need to locate the Prophets in this place. They have to be somewhere."  
"No way," Bryce said. "They desperately need our help. The Grunts are using plasma grenades to hold them off. If they hope to break through to the cannon, they need backup from Spartans."  
"Right," he said, sighing again. "Continue your mission, soldier. Relay this to Alex: Do not come looking for me. I am coming upon a room with several maps in it, looks like a navigation room. It's abandoned, but I should be able to find a map of the place."  
"No one will come after you, sir," Bryce confirmed.  
"The next time you try to contact me, if I am unreachable, forget me. The mission is what's important. I will be fine on my own. I didn't get my rank for nothing, you know."  
Bryce laughed, his voice coming through fizzled and distorted. "Of course."  
"End transmission." James killed his link as he walked through the door leading to an abandoned nav room. Among it was everything he could possibly need. Maps of the compound, maps of Raiek, maps of everything. As he came upon a table, James noticed blueprints laid out. Taking a look at them, he saw that these must have been the plans to that cannon Bryce mentioned.  
Using the camera function in his HUD, James snapped a picture, and grabbed several holo-maps from the wall. Then, he unloaded several assault rifle rounds into the blueprints, the computers, and the remaining devices. With that, he quickly sprinted from the room and used the holo-map he had to direct himself to the open center area.  
Remembering what Moores had told him, James hefted a metal pack strapped to his back, larger than ones normally worn, higher up. It was beginning to bother him. Inside were four explosives. He had often heard of something called a 'nuke' used long ago. Just one of what he carried with him had the explosive power of four of these. It was hard to believe that such power could be crammed into a package only half a foot tall.  
Moving as swiftly as he could, James Carser quickly made his way to where he was needed. He planned to use one of the LOTUS bombs to obliterate that cannon.  
  
Alex Daufel and his teammates ran right through the doors leading to the battlefield. There was nothing that could have stopped the mêlée. But the four Spartans came striding up to a weary-looking officer of about thirty-two years of age, standing behind an overturned Warthog.  
The Warthogs were green-colored, jeeplike vehicles, often used for quick transportation. They also came in various styles. Ones with treads for snow, cammouflage for jungle travel, and ones with large backs capable of holding five or six extra Spartans.  
Alex moved to the ragged Colonel and berrated him with questions. "When is Foehammer going to arrive? We need a transport Warthog to break through that crowd."  
The Colonel frowned, issuing several grenades to tired-looking soldiers. "That's just the problem. For all we know, Foehammer has been shot down. After checking our status equipment several times, we cannot locate the whereabouts of the dropship."  
Jason came up behind them and cursed under his breath. "What was the last thing you heard?" he asked. Alex nodded in agreement.  
The Colonel thought for a moment. "Last I heard they were heading over the rim of the base to meet us, but that was almost an hour ago! I don't know how much longer I can keep my men out there. They're being annihilated trying to reach that cannon. If we let them build up all the power they need from the planet's core, we'll never be able to stop them."  
"So, that's what they want this planet for, eh?" Alex asked the Colonel.  
"Of course. This planet's core is solid plasma, so if they can extract enough power, that cannon will destroy any of the Outer Colonies in one shot. Unless we can stop them."  
"This won't be as easy as we thought," Bryce said to them.  
Jarret came up behind all of them. "I hope James makes it out of there in one piece. Who knows what will happen to him?"  
Alex sighed, looking back towards the base as bullets flew around them. "I don't know. But we should hold strong. Have faith in our commander. He'll know exactly what to do if he makes it out of there."  
  
James had a strategy in mind. He would use one LOTUS in his pack to destroy that cannon after taking out the Grunts around it. Then, he would use the remaining three LOTUS's to obliterate the planet's complex, and turn it into a desolate wasteland. He did not want to completely destroy it, because perhaps it could be used sometime in the future.  
He came out from the complex and into the large open field. What he saw horrified him. Thousand of Grunts crowded around the large weapon in the very center of their large area. According to his map, this was not the rendezvous point. This area was just next to that place. A small opening lead off the side to their large open area.  
"Time to get busy."  
From several hundred meters away, Alex and Jason spotted James come out of the complex, much higher up than they were, on a large ridge situated where he came out. It rushed up from the ground several hundred feet up, at an almost forty-five degree angle.  
Knowing Bryce still had the Jackhammer, James activated his Comm-Link. "Master Chief Bryce McClain, this is Master Commander James Carser. Do you still have the Jackhammer formerly held by Brent Ashley?"  
The voice crackled through his helmet. "Of course, sir."  
"I want it." James's orders were clear and simple.  
Down with Alex, Bryce handed the Jackhammer over to a Marine. "Take it, soldier," he said, "and get it up that hill to the Commander at all costs." The Marine nodded and gingerly took the Launcher. Nodding to some of the other Marines around him, the seven of them took off for the hill where James stood.  
Jason and Jarrett looked skyward. Pointing, Jason motioned to the Pelican dropship Foehammer. The old ship had been rebuilt after it crashed several years ago. Coming in at an odd angle, the ship bucked and swayed in mid-air. The pilot's voice crackled through Alex's mic. "Sir, we have a problem. I am under control by three Elites and a Hunter. I have no way of escape. The jump director Patrick O'Hara is dead. I am the only left on- board."  
Alex radioed his message back. "If you are to die so soon, we shall honor you. All you must do is release a Transport Warthog."  
"Aye, aye, General," the Colonel responded. As the Dropship swooped down, a Warthog plopped onto the ground in front of them. On the back was a large flat space, replacing the usual mounted gun, used for transporting soldiers. It could hold up to seven.  
Alex sent this information to James, and waited for a response. "I'm going up after them. That pilot is going to live!"  
"What?!" Alex shouted back. "That's insane!"  
Jarrett looked up and pointed. "It's too late!" The Marines lugging the Jackhammer had made it up. However, there were only three left now. The bodies of the others lay sprawled at different places on the hill. As James took the Launcher in his hand, he aimed at at the group of Grunts. He immediately pulled the trigger, and a large group of them howled in pain as they were engulfed by the resulting explosion.  
Just then, as James readied another shot, the cannon jerked into motion. Slowly, it began to sink into the ground. As it did this, seven Banshees appeared in the sky, flying in a tight V-formation, firing at the Marines below, eliminating them by the handfuls with each shot.  
Quickly hopping into the Warthog's driver seat, Alex pointed up as Foehammer circled back around, staying within their sight. "I have a feeling James is going to try to save Foehammer's pilot."  
"It's suicide!" Jarrett breathed as he hopped into the flat area of the back. Bryce got in next to Alex, holding his assault rifle over the dashboard as Alex started the engine. Jason also jumped in next to Jarrett. Alex jammed his foot on the gas pedal, and the vehicle shot forward, tearing through the wintery ground.  
  
The cannon was gone, and the Grunts were retreating. This left the path to the second sector of the base open. Seizing the opportunity, most Marines followed in Warthogs. James spotted his crew following in a Transport Warthog.  
As he looked skyward, James noticed the Banshees swooping towards him. Aiming the Jackhammer up at them, he fired, taking out the leader and three others. As they turned in a tight manner, trying to evade the next attack, James ditched the Launcher and leaped at one of them...three meters straight up.  
Grasping the meter-long wing of the Banshee, James struggled to hold on as it gradually gained height. Using his left arm, he reached into the cockpit with his pistol and shot a single bullet into the head of the Elite pilot. The warrior tumbled out.  
James slowly maneuvered himself to the cockpit. However, with no pilot, the aircraft was starting to dip towards the ground. Just as it grazed the ground, James threw himself in and grabbed the controls, easily angling it back upwards.  
"Now, it has to be around here somewhere." Using the scanners, the Commander located dropship Foehammer, circling around where his crew was heading towards the next area. At full speed, James pulled alongside the ship, and saw where the Elites and Hunter had obviously entered. A small opening in the dispatch ramp. Guiding himself closer, James threw himself from the Banshee and latched onto the open ramp. James sucked in a deep breath and slipped inside, only to find two Elites staring right at him.  
"Teg mih!" 


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5  
  
2213 Hours, August 13, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Inside Daygars compound on planet Raiek  
  
Alex drove full speed after the moving Marines. He wanted to keep up with them and protect them if need be, and the only way to do that was to make sure the two forces didn't get separated. Pressing the pedal into the floor of the Warthog, Alex called back to his troops. "All right, everyone! We have no idea where James is, but regardless, we have to follow those Marines into the complex. This is going to be more complicated than we thought."  
Gripping the side bar of the Warthog, Jarrett talked to his brother firmly. "How is that? Why don't we just blow the heck out of this place and leave?"  
Alex sighed. "It won't be that easy. According to that Captain, there is a Prophet on this planet. To truly destroy this place, we have to kill him first. As long as he lives, Raiek will be free to prosper and free to use that cannon against us. If even one shot gets a hit in to the Colonies, we're history."  
Jason looked to where the Marines were heading. Night was falling, and none of them wanted to be around when darkness came. He spoke clearly into his mic after verifying with Alex. "Slow down, troops. The Spartans have a plan!"  
Within seconds, the other Warthogs and ATVs slowed to a stop and circled around the Spartans. Alex dropped from the driver's seat and spoke to the Marines. "Fellow soldiers!" he called. "Night will soon be upon us. As I speak, James is trying to save Foehammer above our heads." Every Marine looked up to see Foehammer circling. "Once he rescues it, or if, the Marines will leave, and we shall camp out here. While we're here, we'll try to locate the best place to move in tomorrow morning. That is when we shall storm the fortress and take it down!"  
Cheers rang up at Alex's heroic words. "And that is when the Prophet will fall!"  
Jason moved next to Alex. "We have to get moving and find someplace to rest. The Covenant have retreated back inside for night, but in the day they shall return to their Shades atop the roof."  
Alex nodded. "Of course. But by then, no one will be around. Let's find a place to stay."  
  
James pulled out his MA5B assault rifle and opened fire. The bullets ripped into the shields of a red-armored Elite. After several shots, his shield failed, and the bullets tore into his side. Howling in pain, he collapsed.  
The second, black-colored Spec Ops Elite roared and hurled himself at the Commander. Dodging to one side, James withdrew an M6D pistol in his other hand, and laid the Elite to rest with two shots to the head. The alien's brain blasted out the other side and onto the deckplates.  
Just when he thought things were going his way, a Hunter rumbled from the cockpit. "HAHAHAHA!" It laughed at him, mocking him. Dressed from head- to-toe in blue armor, the Hunter bore a shield on its left arm, and a fuel- rod cannon on its right, capable of taking out any Spartan in one shot. Aiming its cannon arm at James, the Hunter roared and fired.  
The beam ripped along the ground, tearing out large chunks of metal. Since it was so thick, nothing went through, but the charge was there. The beam narrowly missed James as he leaped out of the way, holding his pistol. The large bolt went out through the same area James had come in, not even grazing the Pelican dropship. Landing softly on a padded section of the wall, James aimed a pistol at the Hunter's head, and fired.  
This seemed to only anger it, but that was what he wanted to do. Jumping up, he stood right next to the loading ramp door. "Come on!" James taunted, aiming the pistol right at the Hunter's thickly-armored head. "Let's see what you're made of!" With a howl and a growl, the Hunter charged head-long at James.  
Throwing himself to the side, James pounded on the door controls. Hissing open, the doors came fully open in seconds. Unable to stop itself, the Hunter tumbled out the back. With another press, James snapped the doors shut again. James had to stabilize himself with a railing to stop himself from being sucked out.  
Running out from the cockpit, the pilot threw his arms around the Spartan. "Oh, how can I ever thank you?" he cried. "There is no way you could ever know how happy I am!"  
James tried to shake off the man. "Really," he said, smiling under his mask, "it's no problem." This man was near insanity from being captured for so long.  
Just then, the third Elite made himself known. Dressed in full gold combat armor, weilding a plasma sword, the catlike monster hurled himself at James, knocking the two of them backwards. The plasma burned right through the ship's hull, sending them both out the back.  
Outside, James grabbed hold of the Dropship's left wing, blown onto it by the air rushing over the wings and suction of the engines. The Elite landed on top of the craft, digging his sword and claws in, trying desperately to maintain his grasp. It was obvious he had not meant for this to happen.  
James's pistol clattered away to the ground. But his assault rifle he still had. Drawing it on the Elite, the fired off several rounds. Just then, Foehammer came to a halt. The pilot wanted them to have a fair fight.  
  
Down on the ground, Jarrett pointed up to the dropship, rocking back and forth from the warriors' movements. Alex tapped his comm-link. "James, can you hear me?" he called.  
After several seconds, the Commander's voice came back through. "Yes. But I'm in a bit of a situation here. Don't try to help, you might shoot us down. Let me handle it!" Then, the link died.  
"What are we going to do?" Bryce asked, staring up with the rest of them.  
Alex's reply was simple. "Watch, and wait." Then, he pulled out his sniper's rifle, and aimed it upwards. "If James does need help, I'm here to give it to him. But, I need a clear shot."  
Just then, James's pistol clattered to the ground. Jason retrieved it, and craned his neck back to watch the battle.  
  
The Elite slowly stood up. Now that the ship had stopped, he could easily fight his foe. And slaughter him. He moved to the edge, his plasma sword gleaming in the dusk sunlight. "Uoy teg ot eid ylkciuq!"  
"Pardon?" James asked.  
"EIDDDDDD!" The Elite hurled himself down to the wing. Rolling, James leaped up and hopped two meters straight up to land on the back of the ship. The Elite jumped after him, landing right on his chest, making both of them fall to the hull.  
"Get off me!" James cried, pulling the trigger. Swiftly, the Elite rolled to the side, only to receive a swift kick from a metal boot, sending him flying back. James jumped up and aimed the Rifle at the Elite's head. "Freeze!" he cried.  
However, the Elite tumbled over the side. James dashed over, but all he could see was sky. Meanwhile, the Elite crawled under the ship, and jumped back up the other side. "Esirprus!" the Elite shouted. He swung the plasma sword, catching James's shoulder.  
Grunting in pain, James stumbled back, and the Elite caught him with a kick under his chin, sending him catapulting down to the dropship's wing. Using his hooked boots, James stabilized himself and fired off several rounds from his assault rifle. The Elite sprawled backwards.  
Just then, a sniper bullet flew from nowhere and caught the Elite in the leg.  
Seizing the opportinuty, James withdrew a Fragmentation Grenade. After pulling the pin, he hurled it at the Elite, who caught it. "Hu ho..." The explosion did not kill, but alas pushed the unfortunate warrior Elite backwards into mid-air, where he fell to his death. 


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6  
  
2230 Hours, August 13, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Center field of Raiek Compound  
  
Foehammer landed gracefully on the ground, her engines rumbling the very snow beneath their boots as the ship came down and placed herself in the midst of the UNSC army. Glowering faces and happy soldiers watched as the boarding ramp slowly hissed open. From the darkness of the interior, the pilot stumbled out, received gratefully by Alex and his Spartans. Next, Master Commander James Carser tumbled out, injured from his clash with the Elite. The plasma sword had left a mighty injury to his shoulder, but he was determined to overcome it.  
Literally falling into the arms of Jason and Bryce, James stared up at them through his visor. "I....made it," he grumbled. "Thank Alex for firing his sniper's rifle at the Elite up there."  
Jason laughed aloud at the Commander living. But he was confused on one note. "Alex never fired a single shot."  
  
Later that night, the Spartans sat around a campfire, primitive for their times but effective. They roasted meat on a spit. Their helmets were off, sitting by their respective owners. According to Jarrett's readings, the air was breathable, although just barely. But only Alex was brave enough to attempt it.  
"We have to make sure that the Prophet is dead before we handle this place," James said as he tore a chunk of delicious meat from the spit.  
Earlier that day, all the Marines had left in Foehammer, cramped together. There were only sixty-some odd number left. Around one-hundred- fifty had originally come. The dead were taken out by the insane Grunts and their Elite superiors.  
Between chews, Alex agreed. He was leaning on the Warthog parked neatly in their little space on the side of the open ground, only several hundred meters from the large opening in the base meant to receive ground vehicles. "We'll have no other choice. Unless that thing's dead, there's no way Raiek will ever fall. Their psychic powers are limitless."  
Jarrett piped up. "True, but I think there's some way we'll be able to destroy them."  
"I hear they can stop bullets in mid-air!" Jason breathed, gasping on the heat of his slice of meat, blowing on his burned fingers. "That might become a snag."  
A 'snag' was anything the Spartans didn't know how to handle.  
James sighed heavily. "Maybe. But I think there still has to be a way to—" Just then, a plasma bolt ripped into the ground right behind James, sending him forward, right over the fire. Sprawling on the ground, he jumped back up as the entire team watched a Ghost vehicle dart away. Its pilot was a grey Elite, who released a grenade as he left.  
Instantly, Jason was on his feet and running after the vehicle. He was the fastest of them all, and could keep up with the Ghost. As he drew near, he flung himself head-long at the Ghost, landing on the back and crawling up to the front. Seating himself behind the Elite, he drew a pistol and aimed it at the warrior's head. "Tlah!" Jason said, speaking in the Covenant talk.  
Tossing his clawed hand around, the Elite knocked Jason backwards. Stabilizing himself instantly, Jason smacked the Elite across his neck with the butt of his assault rifle, knocking him flat. Jason gripped the Ghost's controls and slowed the hoverbike to a stop. Getting off, he inspected the Elite. Slinging the warrior on his lap, he traveled back to the Spartan camp.  
When he arrived, he laid the body on the ground next to James, who looked over the body. With a tap, the Elite began to stir, rubbing his neck. "What do you want, filth?" James spat, leveling his pistol at the Elite's head. "Spit it out!"  
Sitting up to a forty degree angle, the Elite sputtered out his piece. This time, he spoke in the English language, trying to make it easier on the Spartans to understand him. "My name is Farr 'Tenglannee. I am the Rebel General of the Covenant Resistance force, currently holding five hundred Grunts, four-hundred-thirty-nine Elites, two-hundred-fifty-nine Hunters, and two Prophets. We don't have any Jackals. They are hard to convince."  
Alex came over. He aimed a gun at the Elite's head. "Are you part of a...Covenant Rebel force? I thought Elites were born and bred to fight for the Covenant."  
The Elite propped himself up further, looking the Spartan right in his visor. "I am. But some of us go against that instinct, and resist our Prophet leaders. I had no intention of harming any of you. I just wanted to know if you were Covenant or UNSC. My intention was to get your attention and draw you into our cause." He rubbed his neck in the area where Jason had struck him. "I need to know if you will join us."  
Jason, Jarrett, and Bryce came over. "I think we should side with him." James breathed deeply, his words affecting the team.  
"Why is that?" Bryce asked. "It could be a complete lie."  
"If it was a lie, do you think we'd still be alive? The Covenant would be all over us!" James growled. He kindly helped the Elite to his feet. The warrior towered over any of them. Holding a plasma pistol in his right claw, he spoke to his new friends.  
"So, will you join our cause or not? If you will not, you are our enemies, along with the Covenant."  
"We will join your cause. If you help us destroy Raiek, the UNSC will take in whatever is left of your team, and you shall be protected by the Spartans. Perhaps you could get us information only ones of your kind could."  
Farr shifted uncomfortably. "I know something you do not. The Covenant have a second cannon on the moon of this planet. It hangs just off of this planet's surface. As you know, Raiek is much smaller than most other planets, so it only has enough gravity to support one moon. But the Covenant are using that to their own advantage. We need to stop them. If they use either cannon on Earth, your planet will not stand a chance."  
"Fortunately they haven't found Earth yet," Bryce said.  
Jason held up a hand. "Where are they drawing the power from on the moon? I thought the main reason Raiek was being used was because its core was liquid plasma, and that was needed to power the weapon? But how is the moon to be used?"  
Farr turned this idea over in his head, holstering the pistol at his side. "Very good reasoning. There are transport ships carrying barrels full of plasma to the moon. That is the backup. If Raiek's fails, the moon's will be their only hope."  
James held up a hand. "How much plasma is on the moon now. Do you even know?"  
Staring upwards, Farr shoook his head. "We do not currently know how much plasma they have, but the ships have been moving back and forth between moon and planet for weeks now, carrying hundreds of canisters each way, so there much be a rather large amount."  
"We will use Raiek's cannon to destroy the moon," Alex said simply. "Then, we use Raiek's cannon and reverse its polarity. All that plasma charge will flow back into the core. Since the plasma regenerates, it will overfill, and blow the entire planet away."  
"That would work," James said. He turned to Farr. "What are the risks of doing this?"  
"Since neither cannon has been fired as of yet, there's no telling what will happen when it does so. It could be malfunctioned and destroy the entire planet by self-destructing. However, the entire mission could be a success."  
Jarret piped up. "The Marines are returning in the morning. If we wait until they arrive with even more force, we could divide into two teams. Pillar of Winter could send us several more Pelican dropships. Half our force could go to the moon, and the other half remain here."  
"Where do the Spartans go?" Jason asked.  
"We all remain on Raiek," James interruped. "Because their forces will be stronger here. Perhaps Moores can call more Spartans in to help the moon task force. But we stay here. I started here, and I'm going to finish here. We don't leave this planet until our misison is accomplished."  
Farr jumped back onto his Ghost. As the engines hummed to life, he saluted his new hope. "I will inform my troops of this new turn of events. And if they approve our plan, we will begin in two days." Farr hit the accelerator and sped back into the compound. As he sped off, he turned his neck around backwards. "Doog kcul!" he called in his own tongue. He had meant 'good luck.'  
It was obvious that the Rebels took up residence right under the Covenant's noses. Inside their own compound. But that was a good thing, because they wanted to get to know the enemy, be near the enemy. Things were looking brighter that night as the Spartans resumed their places around the fire. 


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7  
  
0431 Hours, August 14, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Near underground entrance to Raiek Compound  
  
The two morning suns graced the early daylight of Raiek. Its cold, wintry weather was just beginning to become remotely warm. Unlike Earth, its summer happened in mid-August Earth time. The third sun was due to appear at around 0830 Hours. Also unlike Earth, daylight came at about 0430 in the morning.  
High above the planet, three Pelicans, Foehammer among them, burned through the atmosphere and approached Commander James's encampment. Standing up and dousing the fire, he looked up to the sky, watching the Pelicans come down. Next to him, the other four Spartans stood.  
As Foehammer landed, James and his team approached it. They were all hidden in a nook of the compound, so as not to be spotted by the Covenant, and the dropships were cloaked from radar.  
The door hissed open, and General Standon walked from the inside, immediately sighting the Spartans. "Attention," James barked. The five Spartans saluted the General in unison.  
"As you were, Spartans." The General saluted as he approached. The Spartans stood at ease. "Commander, you have done your job with this one. And a fine one at that. But I have been informed by this soldier here—" The Colonel from the previous day stepped forth, "—that this mission is far too dangerous to accomplish. They have a cannon that could destroy Earth in one attack. Do you agree, Commander?" The General looked at James quizzically.  
Shifting uncomfortably under his superior's gaze, James chose his words carefully. "Sir, I don't believe this mission is impossible for the Spartans. I will lead my team to victory on this."  
The General frowned. "My Colonel here feels it would be easier just to blow the place away. Do you agree, Commander?"  
James's face hardened under his helmet. "With all due respect, sir, my crew and I have the situation under control."  
"You do, do you?"  
"Of course, sir. We are to move into the compound in half-an-hour, find the Prophet and kill it, use the cannon to destroy the moon, and then spike the cannon to destroy Raiek, sir."  
The General cocked his head. "I'm giving you one chance, Commander. And that is all."  
James nodded. It was all he would need. He looked to his crew and nodded to them.  
Out from Foehammer drove three Warthogs, standard model. Alex hopped in one and Bryce jumped in beside him. James hopped onto the mounted cannon. Since Alex was a much better driver, this was the ideal choice. Jason took the controls of the second Warthog, and Jarrett sat next to him. A Marine manned the chain-gun. In the third Warthog, three Marines took the controls.  
"Salute!" James yelled out. The Spartans and Marines saluted as they sped off towards the opening.  
The General turned on his heel and spoke to the Colonel as the Commander and his men went out of sight into the tunnel. "What is this new menace? And do the other Marines know of it?"  
The Colonel nodded violently. "Of course, sir. They are a new race for the Covenant. They call themselves..."  
  
The three Warthogs charged into the tunnel, headlights blaring at full intensity. Talking to the Marine driver over his comm-link, James asked him a question he had nagging at him. "What is the General so nervous about, soldier?"  
The Marine answered immediately. "They have discovered a new threat to the battles, sir!"  
"What threat?"  
"A new species in the Covenant, sir!"  
"Their name?"  
Just then, the three Warthogs screeched to a halt. There were three creatures standing in their way. Clad in black, they resembled canines, standing on two legs, their thin, sinewy arms at their sides. Huge, gaping mouths dripped saliva on their faces. From their looks, they were unarmed. The Marine driver pointed at them, frightened. "Them!" he cried, shaking.  
Staring into the darkness, the Spartans raised their weapons, James and the Marines aimed their chain-guns at the foes. "What are they?" Alex hissed.  
The Marine nearly fainted. "They call themselves Howlers, sir! One of them took out half my team of sixty-two!"  
Jarrett laughed. "I'll take them all on!" He leaped from his place, MA5B in hand, running towards them. He opened fire, and dodged to the side. He figured these were a bunch of bums looking for a fight they couldn't win. They were no match for a Spartan!  
James was too confused to be angry at Jarrett's outburst. "But why do they call themselves—?"  
He was interrupted by one of the creatures, almost in answer. Nodding to his comrades, the Howler opened his mouth much wider than any human could, and aimed it forward. The very air particles in front of him seemed to ripple and flow as the most earshattering screech erupted and seemed to explode into the air. The bullet rounds were ripped apart in mid-air, breaking into nearly nothing.  
The sound was deafening. "Kee-ROWWWWWWWWWW!"  
The sound vibrations continued to come, growing wider and wider as they left the Howler's mouth. Jarrett was taken completely off-guard as the waves smashed into him. They lifted him from the ground and tossed him backwards. He landed behind the Warthogs, thirty feet away from where he had been. He was unconscious from the impact.  
James held up his hand. "Grab Jarrett and retreat!"  
In response, all three Howlers unleashed their fury. "Kee- ROWWWWWWWWWW!"  
Alex and the Marine's Warthogs flipped over, tossing their passengers to the ground. Alex sprawled on the floor, reaching for his gun. One Warthog landed on a Marine as it fell, crushing him. Jason was the quickest, and he placed on hand on the Warthog's edge, flipping it back over.  
The third Warthog was hit much harder. However, it did not flip, but was sent backward, its wheels spinning madly. There was so much confusion neither Spartan nor Marine could make heads or tails of what was happening. The sound just started to die out at that point. Alas, the Howlers were just resting, preparing to suck in another breath while laughing uproariously.  
James pulled the Warthog upright. "Retreat!" he screamed. He jumped into the driver's seat of one of the Warthogs and Alex hopped in beside him. Jason took the chain-gun. The rest of James's crew grabbed the other Warthogs, Jarrett, and the remaining Marines got in as well. As the Howlers shouted out again, James and his team raced out, followed by the lethal sound waves.  
  
General Standon laughed to himself as the three Warthogs came racing from the tunnel. Behind him sat only one dropship. The others had left. Foehammer was gone and so was another, but the third remained. The Commander pulled up next to them, frowning under his helmet, skipping salutes.  
"Somehow you knew this was going to happen!" James growled as he faced the General.  
Standon noticed that the team was short one Marine, and a Spartan was unconscious. "Quite a battle you had in there, eh, Commander?"  
James was furious. This General had endangered his entire crew, and not even warned him at all. He moved like lightning, hauling the Colonel up over his head, shaking him violently. "Did you know about the Howlers?!" he screamed. The Colonel sputtered words incoherently. "What did you say?" James shouted.  
Jason placed a hand on James's arm and forced him to release the Marine. "Did you know about this, sir?" he asked calmly.  
The General laughed aloud, his stomach hanging slightly over his belt and shaking as he did so. "Of course I did!" he said whole-heartedly. "I sent you to meet what that place is crawling with! Oh, and I learned the name of the compound. Apparently it's called Daygars."  
James was beginning to lose his patience. "Look, General. I don't need help from your Marines. I can handle this situation myself."  
The General's smile was gone. He pointed an accusing finger at the Commander. "Look here now! I outrank you, so anything I say goes, understood? Now, my Marines will assist you in destroying this facility whether you Spartans like it or not."  
"I can take care of Raiek myself! If we needed help I would request it, but I do not. My men are trained very well in combat, and we can handle anything the Covenant can throw at us!"  
The General smiled. Now he had the Commander. "They can? Do you have your entire crew with you?"  
James was confused. "Of course, sir." He spat the last word.  
"I heard there were six Spartans sent to Raiek." James realized his mistake. "I only see five. What happened to the sixth member of the team? I don't suppose he was killed so early, was he? Maybe you arrogant Spartans aren't so invincible after all!"  
It was obvious this General greatly opposed the usage of the Spartan soldiers and possibly even the MJOLNIR armor. But without the Spartans, the war would already be over, and the humans would be dead. The MJOLNIR armor had also proved itself many times in battle. But this was one time that James was trapped. "He was killed." James closed his eyes under his helmet, hanging his head. "A Banshee landed on top of him. I could have saved him, but he wouldn't obey my orders. He just kept going...and was killed."  
The General recoiled. He hadn't realized a Spartan had died. But no matter. He despised them anyway. He loathed the way they received all the attention, taking it away from his brave Marine soldiers that gave their lives every day in service. "Memories for your man. But nonetheless, I am reassigning you, Commander!"  
James's eyes went wide. "What?!" he and his entire crew said in unison.  
"You can't do that!" Alex shouted.  
"We were assigned by a Captain, who outranks even you!" Jason said.  
"It's an outrage!" Bryce commented.  
"You're not authorized!" Jarrett informed the General.  
Standon held up his hand for silence. When he got it, he continued. "I am authorizing myself. Master Commander James Carser, as of right now, you and your crew are reassigned to help Captain Moores with work on the planet Jarrisno. Perhaps you will be of more use there." The General nodded to his Colonel. "Let's go." He and the Colonel walked silently into their dropship. "I'm sending Foehammer to pick you up. I have some men just outside Daygars scouting Covenant activity."  
Bryce shouted back at him over the roar of the igniting engines. "What are they doing, sir?"  
"We have no idea! But it's up to them to find out. I sent them out with a Warthog and seven men, so it should be rather easy. The crew only consists of around eight Grunts and an Elite who is known as Farr."  
Instantly, the entire team knew. They were messing with the rebels! Only Farr would be able to scout out there with a team and not be noticed. Too bad the rebels had no Howlers. But in any event, the Spartans would have to get to the Covenant Rebels before the Marines did. If they didn't, they'd all be killed! 


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8  
  
0645 Hours, August 14, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ 15 miles West of Daygars  
  
Farr was losing his battle. His Ship Master was ordering him to destroy the fleeing Marines, since this Master did not know he was a Rebel. "Destroy them, or die for mutiny," the Ship Master hissed in their tongue.  
"But they have done nothing to harm us." Farr weilded a plasma rifle in his left hand, holding it tightly should he need to use it.  
Of the group sent out, Farr was the only Rebel, sent to keep an eye on things. The other ten Grunts and Elite were loyal to the Covenant, but none of them knew of Farr's rebel nature.  
"Because I ordered you to! If they escape, the blame will be on you!" Just then, the Warthog rumbled past them, fleeing. The Ship Master turned to Farr, fury in his eyes. He growled out a warning as three Shadow vehicles came up, carrying three Elites and four Grunts each.  
"But they have already escaped," Farr protested. He wanted to give them as much free time to escape as he could. He had to stall.  
"Foolish traitor!" The Ship Master raised his weapon and felled Farr with one swipe. As the Rebel Elite toppled to the ground in a heap, the Master turned to the Elite driver of one of the Shadows. "Leave this filth and take me to follow those humans. We need to kill them before they reach their own forces!"  
The Master hopped aboard and sped off, leaving Farr's body on the ground to rot in the snow. He was not dead, but greatly harmed. Without medical attention within the hour, he would freeze to death in the icy weather of this portion of Raiek.  
  
0650 Hours, August 14, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ 12 Miles West of Daygars  
  
The Warthog sped from the forest, carrying with it seven Marines. The driver was Petty Officer Brumfield, and the passenger was Lieutenant Janon. The two of them had led their five troops to kill the Covenant scout group, but had been chased off. A Marine manned the LAAG chain-gun, and four Marines were seated around him, gripping the sides for dear life.  
They had been terribly outnumbered and easily defeated, forced to retreat back to their Warthog and make a hasty escape.  
Just then, a Covenant Shadow seemed to explode from the foliage and land next to them. An Elite was driving it, carrying four Grunt passengers.  
The Marine manning the chain-gun swiveled the heavy weapon and pulled the trigger, instantly making his hands go numb from the vibrations. The lead Grunt went down, methane pouring from his shattered facemask. Using the gun, the Marine shot off another Grunt.  
However, the Elite at the plasma gun turned and fired as well. The Marine at the chain-gun took the plasma right through the chest, knocking him right off. The four Marines around snapped up their MA5B assault rifles and opened fire. A plasma bolt took one Marine through the hand. "My hand is gone!" he cried stupidly. He then fainted from the pain and fell from the Warthog, left behind in the snow.  
Another Marine stood to fire, but a plasma grenade attached itself to his hand. "It's on me!" he cried. "Get it off!" As he turned to another Marine, the Colonel smacked him across the face, knocking him from the vehicle. As they watched, he exploded in a cloud of plasma. If they hadn't knocked him off, the entire team would have died in the explosion.  
The remaining two Marines on the back raised their guns and opened fire, ripping into the armor of the Elite firing the cannon. He collapsed off the back. The rest of the Grunts screamed and fell as well. The Warthog driver rammed the Shadow, and it crashed into a tree, erupting into flames.  
"We're going to get out of here in one piece," the Lieutenant mumbled to himself happily.  
As if things hadn't gone bad enough, two more Shadows pulled up next to them, carrying only cackling Grunts and one Elite pilot. There was one Shadow that had an extra Elite. It was the Ship Master who had knocked Farr out. His name was 'Kolkee. And he was intect on destroying the Warthog Marines.  
"Nepo erif!" 'Kolkee shouted in his native tongue. The Shadows' plasma cannons swiveled and aimed right at the driver of the Warthog, their Grunt owners laughing madly.  
  
Just above the Warthog's position, dropship Foehammer circled in, her engines humming as they flew along. Inside, the Spartans stood up and readied their gear. Each of them had restocked on ammo and supplies. They now each carried an M6D pistol and shotgun, trading in their assault rifles for close work.  
The shotgun was extremely useful in close-combat, which they were preparing to do. Those remaining Marines needed their help, and the Spartans were prepared to give it to them. Even if they were Standon's men.  
The boarding ramp slowly hissed open, and Master Commander James Carser stood, readying his pistol. He watched as the Grunts leaped onto the Warthog, slaughtering the driver. There were now only three Marines left. But they were to be saved.  
James took aim through the scope, and let a bullet fly right into the head of a driver Elite. Without a sound, the Elite slumped against the controls, sending him and his team crashing into some bushes, where they exploded upon impact.  
Readying for another shot, James realized it was no good. The last Shadow was moving too much. And on it, he could see an Elite who appeared to be in charge. Then, Alex came up behind him, Bryce in tow. "How do we stop them?" Alex asked.  
James thought it over. "We're going in!"  
Another jump director, their old one was dead, came forward and told them he was Gary Harrison. He saluted the Commander, and told them that they would rappel down on thin cables attached to special belts. If they didn't time it right, they would miss and be lost in the snow.  
James nodded and attached himself to a harness. Bryce and Alex did likewise. He ordered Jason and Jarrett to attach themselves as well, in case they needed back-up. The rope was slung out, and James attached himself again using twice as much rope to added strength. He motioned to Gary. "Try and maneuver us closer to the Warthog. We have to get closer!" he said loudly over the engines.  
Below, the Lieutenant forced the dead body of the Petty Officer from his place, and took over driving. A Marine on the back slaughtered the remaing Grunts as more on the Shadow cackled in delight. They would be feeding on the dead bodies tonight!  
Just then, Commander James landed next to the chain-guin, holding a shotgun. He aimed it right at one Grunt's face, and pulled the trigger. The force knocked his carcass backwards, taking the remaining two Grunts off. Then, he fired at the Elite driver, killing him instantly.  
Alex landed in the passenger seat, and Bryce manned the chain-gun, politely pushing the Marine aside. He aimed the weapon at 'Kolkee, and fired. The crafty Elite leaped from his craft and landed on the Warthog. With one swipe of his plasma rifle, he knocked Bryce off his perch. Bryce landed in Alex's lap.  
James jumped forward, but was sent sprawling backwards from 'Kolkee's rifle. He fell from the Warthog, but was held by the rappel ropes. Using his arms, he maneuvered himself back on, and landed easily. Alex raised his assault rifle and pumped 'Kolkee's body full of lead after his shileds had worn down.  
Alex and Bryce jumped out of the way, landing next to James, as 'Kolkee's body smashed hard into the brake pedal, jamming it. James looked up to see they were headed for a cliff. He ordered his men out. Alex grabbed the Marine and he and Bryce shot back into the dropship, easily evacuated.  
James reached out to take the Lieutenant's hand, but the officer refused. "I've used this Warthog since I joined. It's like my baby!" he cried, gripping the wheel. The cliff face was only thirty meters away.  
"We have to go! The brake is jammed! You'll never get this Warthog to stop! Abandon it and save yourself!" James said, beginning to lose his patience.  
James reached out and easily plucked the Lieutenant from his place. He then readied himself, clutching the struggling Marine, and yanked on the cord, the signal to be pulled back up. "The drop is only three meters away!"  
Almost on cue, James and the Marine were hoisted away, just in time as the Warthog tumbled off the edge, falling several hundred feet and smashing to pieces as it hit the ground. James and the Lieutenant were pulled back into Foehammer, safe for the time being. 


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9  
  
0746 Hours, August 14, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ 15 miles West of Daygars  
  
Foehammer circled the sky, hovering in place, searching for survivors of the Warthog incident. The Lieutenant and his remaining two men were strapped in their seats, moaning from their inner pain. The loss of their comrades. The Spartans, however, were busy wondering what happened to Farr.  
"It's not like we're not sure he was there," Bryce said, looking at the Commander.  
"And we also know that Farr was the only Covenant Rebel there. That was reported to us by Farr himself when he briefly spoke to us as we were arriving. The last place we heard from him was around three miles west of our location. I suggest, Commander, that we go and look for him," Jason said, biting his lip under his helmet.  
James looked out a window, scanning the snow for signs of Farr. "I agree," he said finally. "Even if we have been reassigned by a Marine that outranks all of us, it doesn't mean we can't continue to interfere. He told us that we were reassigned to Jarrisno. But what would happen if Foehammer were to accidently spot something better, and we decided to check it out?"  
A wry smile appeared on Jarrett's face, which no one could see but could definitely know was there. "Of course!" he said, jumping up, dropping his pistol. "Look out that window! I see a figure lying there in the snow!"  
The five Spartans peeked out and, sure enough, there was the form of an Elite lying in the snow, nearly buried. Snapping into action, James ordered Gary, the jump director, to open the hatch. Then, he told Jarrett and Jason to hook themselves up and retrieve him.  
Nodding, the two men hooked themselves up to rappel ropes as the door to Foehammer hissed open. They readied themselves, taking MA5Bs in their hands, and slowly let themselves fall over the edge.  
The remaining Spartans watched as Jason landed on the snow and bent to hook Farr up. To all their surprise, a plasma bolt ripped into the ground, tossing Jason over. He landed upside-down and quickly righted himself as Jarrett came in front of him to provide cover, rifle ready.  
A Covenant Shadow came driving up, holding two Elites and five Grunts. The Grunts laughed and hopped off, running towards Jarrett. Holding the rifle in both hands after slamming a fresh clip into the slot, Jarrett squeezed and held the trigger. The Grunts screamed and fell as the bullets ripped into their suits, methane bubbling out from their broken outfits.  
James and his crew watched from above as the Shadow swerved around the two Spartans. Jarrett switched to his pistol in a flash and aimed it at the Elite. When he pulled the trigger, the bullet was a bulls-eye, and the Elite died instantly as the bullet went through his shield and into his head.  
Jason hopped back up and hooked Farr up to his rope. Then, he yanked on it, and he was pulled to safety.  
On the ground, Jarrett took one last precaution as the plasma gun fired at him. He pulled the pin of a fragmentation grenade and lobbed it after the Shadow, which exploded in seconds and toppled to the ground, its anti- grav device destroyed. With another yank, Jarrett, the hero of the moment, was hauled back into Foehammer.  
  
Farr was laid in four chairs lying in a row. His massive height prevented him from being laid any other way. The three Marines winced as the imposing Elite was laid in his place. The boarding ramp hissed closed as Foehammer raced back towards Daygars.  
"Let's hope we can revive him," Jason said as he unhooked a med kit from the wall. Pulling out some medical equipment, he put together a syringe containing some revival meds, and injected them into Farr's shoulder. Within three minutes, Farr's eyes fluttered open and he saw the blurry form of Jason above him. "Erehw ma I?" he asked himself in his own tongue.  
With his superior strength, Jason easily helped Farr sit up and buckle himself in. Then, Alex and Bryce approached him on James's orders. The Commander was in the cockpit of Foehammer, working with the pilot to get back to Daygars. "How do you feel?" Alex asked.  
Farr rubbed his throbbing head where 'Kolkee had struck him. "I think I'll be fine," he mumbled in English. "But my head hurts."  
"The meds will make that pain subside in time," Jason said as he pulled back, allowing Alex and Bryce to come forward and talk with him.  
"What did you find out from that party you were with?" Alex asked.  
Farr thought. "Not much. 'Kolkee was my commanding officer, so he is our only link to the things he told his Grunt and Elite troops."  
Alex recoiled. "That Elite Captain?" he asked. "I killed him on the Warthog when he leaped over to try and kill us. I knew it wasn't you, so I figured killing him on the spot was the best option."  
"You did us well," Farr said. "'Kolkee was messing in the Rebel plans. He knew some of us were rebelling, and he interfered with our plans all the time. It was just best that he was killed in battle."  
"Anything else?"  
Farr thought. "I meant to ask you something before I left last time," he said. "Did you lose one of your crew? I was just wondering."  
Alex lowered his head. "Yes. Sergeant Brent Ashley was killed by a Banshee that landed on top of him."  
Farr was shocked. "Was he a bit large?" Alex nodded. "I was there at the battle. I was the Elite that was in that Banshee. When the grenade hit me, I bailed and landed several meters away." Alex was confused.  
"Then why did you shoot at us if you were a Rebel?"  
"I had no choice!" Farr protested. "I was ordered by 'Kolkee to fly the Banshee and kill the Spartans. I purposely missed you so that the team would be able to survive and get into Daygars. I thought it would look real and I wouldn't get into trouble."  
"Did you get into trouble?" Bryce asked.  
Farr shook his head, something he'd picked up from humans. "No. 'Kolkee never confronted me for it."  
"But what of Brent? He was incinerated. We saw it happen," Jarrett said as he came forward, assault rifle twitching in his hand. "He was killed. We all saw it happen through those closing doors."  
"The doors were closing?" Farr asked. "So you didn't actually see him explode?" Jarrett hesitated, then nodded. "I saw your man jump out of the way at the last minute. The force of the Banshee knocked him over the side of the bridge. Here, I even recorded it." Farr produced a holo-recorder and activated it.  
  
Brent Ashley leaped nimbly to the side as the Banshee erupted into larger flames as it hit the door. The force of the explosion propelled him forwards over the edge. Reaching up, he snatched the edge of the bridge and hung for dear life.  
Farr approached him, took a nervous glance around, and hauled the Spartan up, tossing him onto the bridge. "Get out of here, Spartan!" Farr grumbled as he took off back across the bridge.  
Slowly standing, Brent readied his assault rifle and moved back across the bridge to where Daygars was situated. Around a foot of land was between the edge and where the compound was, so he moved along the edge of that, eventually disappearing around the corner.  
  
Jarrett leaned back. "Brent is still alive!" he cried happily. "We have to find him before he's killed again!"  
Alex looked at his brother. "It may already be too late. That was yesterday. Who knows how he survived overnight. Without a way into the base, he had to survive all night on his own out there!"  
Jarrett put on a confident face. "Brent is still alive! I just know it!" 


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10  
  
1257 Hours, August 13, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Outside Daygars Compound on planet Raiek  
  
Brent moved slowly ahead. The Covenant were all over him. His suit had been damaged in the explosion, nearly at half-health, but he was going to live. Even if he keeled over from being so tired, he swore the Covenant would not kill him!  
Moving with the grace only a Spartan could possess, Brent literally hid in the shadows as he crept along, holding his assault rifle in both hands, moving slowly around the side of Daygars. The Covenant were swarming around him, and with only one foot of leeway, he didn't have much of a chance to make a mistake. However, within minutes, he came out upon a large space roughly nine meters by eight meters. A large area where the base could not be put, because it was rather hilly in that area.  
His friends had all made it inside, undoubtedly assuming he was killed. He now knew why no one had come for him.  
As he rounded a corner, four birdlike enemies spotted him as they were trying to force a Grunt to report. As the Grunt ran away, the four new enemies turned and faced him. They brought up their wrists in unison, and pushed a button on the small device. Instantly, a large shield made of plasma sprang up, measuring at almost their height.  
Brent recognized them instantly. They were Jackals, the troops that resembled birds and used mainly for defense within the Covenant to protect the Elites and Grunts, on account of their large shields.  
But all the Jackals had a weakness. The shield didn't cover their entire body. There was a small slit on the side. Aiming his M6D, Brent fired at the slit, taking the Jackal in his shoulder. His birdlike companions screeched aloud and pulled back their shields to produce plasma pistols, all three aimed at Brent. As they fired, Brent dodged under all three blasts.  
The Jackals shook their hands from the heat of the weapon, and Brent took one through the head with his pistol. A second one growled and charged, but Brent knocked his pistol against the shield. In the confusion, the Jackal stumbled backwards, and Brent shot him in the chest. He collapsed.  
The two remaining shielded Jackals screamed and fired. Brent grabbed a shield from one of the fallen foes and strapped it on, activating it just in time to reflect the shots fired at him. From behind his shield, he shot two bullets from his pistol, which took both Jackals down.  
Kneeling down, Brent retreived the other two shields and strapped them to his belt. They might be useful for his team to have. They would add even more resistence to their body shields.  
Creeping slowly along the foot wide span of land around the perimeter of the Daygars, Brent looked for an opening. It was then that he spotted a tiny opening near the ground. Dropping to his knees, Brent peered he the foot-high opening. Switching on the flashlight on his helmet, he shined it into the dark tunnel. It looked secure enough, so he decided to take a chance. On all fours, Brent moved through the tunnel.  
  
A whole stash of human weaponry! The Covenant must have stolen it from the humans in previous battles. Moving gratefully through the room, Brent decided it was time to restock on what he had. His assault rifle wasn't low on ammo, but his pistol was, so he scooped up some pistol rounds and clipped them into his gun, hooking some others onto his belt.  
Moving cautiously, scanning for any triplasers, Brent came to a table littered with sniper's rifle rounds. Brent laid his assault rifle down, only able to hold two weapons at a time, and selected a sniper's rifle for his usage. Then, he spotted a rack covered in shotguns. He decided these were much better than any pistol, so he discarded his gun and picked out the gun in best condition, loading himself up with ammo.  
Brent then swiped four Plasma Grenades for his own usage. They stuck to their targets, and allowed for better accuracy this way.  
Finally satisfied with his inventory, Brent decided to rest. He wouldn't take a long one. There was a guard chair in the corner, so he sat in it, closed his eyes, and slept. He was beat.  
  
2206 Hours, August 13, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Inside Daygars compound on planet Raiek  
  
He had been asleep for much too long. His eyes snapped open at the sound of an explosion. Jumping up and snatching his shotgun, Brent ran for the stairs not far from his position and ascended the spiral steps quickly.  
When he burst out on the roof of Daygars, there were two Shades in front of him, manned by Grunts. He snuck up behind them, and aimed a shotgun at the head of one. "Good day, boys."  
The Grunt spun around, screaming. "Cyborg!" it shreiked, moving to aim the needler in its hand. Brent pulled the trigger, and the Grunt flopped backwards, methane boiling from its shattered facemask.  
Sitting in the Shade turret, the second Grunt spun and pulled the trigger. Brent brought up his newly-acquired plasma shield and the beam bounced off, slamming into the roof. Leaning out, he fired off two shots of the shotgun, taking the Grunt down.  
Brent compacted his shield and looked skyward. Dropship Foehammer was in mid-air, not even moving, and two figures were battling atop it. It was his Commander, James, and a a Commander Elite. Either one could win. But as he watched, he saw James get knocked onto the wing, and then the Elite fall backwards. However, the Elite was getting back up.  
Thinking quickly, wanting to help his Commander, Brent raised his sniper's rifle and fired a round into the Elite's leg. Then, James tossed a grenade at it, and the Elite was finished. James had done it! Brent looked down to see the rest of his crew watching in awe. Just as he was about to call out to them, an Elite pounded him over the head with the butt of a plasma rifle, and his entire world went black. 


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11  
  
0932 Hours, August 14, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Large open area inside Daygars compound on planet Raiek  
  
Foehammer dropped off the Spartans and Farr, the Rebel Elite. The Rebel could now stand and walk, so he decided to lead them to where the rebels were hiding. It was a simple place right under the Covenant's noses. That underground tunnel the Commander and his crew had met the Howlers in contained a small panel in it that could slip away. When the first of the rebels on Raiek had discovered this, they began to tunnel, and within three years had a large cavern in which to reside away from the Covenant. They stole equipment and computers and radar devices from the Covenant and placed them in their hideout. In certain words, they used the Covenant's own technology against them.  
After prying the panel off, the six warriors crawled in, on all fours, and within moments emerged into a large cavern. Grunts and Elites were crawling all over the place. There were hundreds of them. Essentially, it was just one large room filled with equipment and other such necessities.  
Farr led the Spartans to a Grunt named Kakay, who was working on something. "I believe he is trying to duplicate those MAC guns your UNSC ships carry. And once he does it, he'll try to put it in a smaller form." The Grunt nodded. "He is far from succeding, but he believes he's on the right track."  
MAC's, or Magnetic Accelerator Cannons, were some of the most advanced weaponry the UNSC had. Each frigate and battleship was armed with one. The guns charged a large ball of molten slag on their tip and then fired the resulting chunk at a target. Ingenious idea, Farr had always thought.  
James was standing next to Farr, marveling at the teamwork the hideout used. "How are you planning on stopping the Covenant from firing their plasma cannon?"  
"They have one on Raiek, and one on the moon, so therefore," Farr started, looking down at the Commander, "I think we'll use Raiek's cannon to destroy the moon, and then spike Raiek's own cannon, effectively destroying it and glassing the planet as well."  
Alex was quizzical. "Do you and your Rebel forces have a way off the planet?"  
Farr frowned. "No. No, we don't. But we are prepared to die along with the Covenant should that have to be the case. I am also prepared to die alongside my people if that is what the Prephets believe should happen."  
Moving through the devices the rebels had fixed up, Jason came upon one one in particular. He held it up. "What is this?" he asked.  
Farr took the device and strapped it onto his wrist. "Lately," he said, "the Grunts have started work on a device similar to Elite shielding. It also is much like what the Jackals carry. Since we have no Jackals in the rebel forces, we are forced to copy that of the elite shields. This device is much like the Jackals'. Let me show you."  
Farr tapped a blue button on the device, and a large shield popped open. It was much larger than anything the Jackals carried. The shield was almost as tall as Farr himself, towering at over seven feet. "I believe this device will help us turn the tides. The Grunts and Elites are mass- proucing them for our own benefit."  
Then, a Prophet's voice boomed out above the rest. It was speaking in their native tongue, and none of the Spartans understood was he (or perhaps she, who could tell?) was saying. But all the rebels stood, mystified, even Farr did, until the talking ceased. After the Prophet was done, Farr turned to his new friends.  
"That one feels that the time has come to stop the Covenant. We will attack tomorrow morning."  
James stopped Farr as he left. "How many rebels are we taking?"  
Farr hesaitated. "All of them. The plan is for you and your crew to sneak into the underground tunnel, obliterate all in your path, destroy the moon, and then spike the cannon itself."  
"Where will you be?" Jason asked.  
"Leading the rebel forces outside. It will be a distraction to what you are doing so that not many Covenant forces can get in your way," Farr stated simply. "If you succeed, I want you all to get off of Raiek before it explodes. Also, when you spike the cannon, make sure to properly jam the controls so that no one can undo what you have accomplished."  
The five Spartans nodded. "We will do whatever it takes to destroy this place," Bryce said.  
"And we will save as many Rebels as we can," Jarrett said.  
James raised a hand. "Attention," he said gruffly. The Spartans all stood at attention in unison, and saluted the brave Elite. Farr nodded, obviously flattered. But he stayed where he was and returned the strange human custom he'd learned. "At ease, Spartans," James said. After the saluting had been carried out, James took Farr aside for a moment to speak to him as his Spartans spread out to look for things to busy them, which consisted mainly of getting in the rebels' way.  
"What are you doing? Put that down!"  
"I will if you tell me what it is."  
"Get back here with that?"  
"What does this button do?"  
"Looks like a fork..." one Spartan commented as he picked up a tiny device.  
"No, it's actually a..." the Grunt never got to say, because the forklike object flash green and exploded in the Spartan's hands, crumbling away. "Never mind," the Grunt muttered, turning back to his work.  
"Where are you holding the battle?" James asked, putting a hand on Farr's shoulder.  
Picking up a plasma sword from a table, Farr lit it, admiring the plasma-powered weapon. "Right in the middle field, Commander," he stated simply. "And if I do my job right, we'll stall enough time for you and your Spartans to destroy the moon and Raiek."  
James clapped Farr on the shoulder. "And after the battle is over, we'll have a party. Just the Rebels and the Spartans. The two armies. You and I at the head of the table. What do you say, Farr?" James asked, a smile on his face.  
Farr looked forlorn. "I'm afraid that will not be possible," he said, and quickly walked off. "Doog yad, Redanmmoc." James knew he had said 'good day, Commander,' in his own language, but he was not sure why Farr was so emotional.  
As James moved slowly along, three Hunters passed him, talking amongst themselves. All three of them were dressed in full combat armor. Come to think of it, he'd never seen a Hunter without one. What was under that tank of armor was beyond all of them.  
Sort of like the Spartans and Farr. He had never seen the faces of the majority of the Commander's Spartans, and yet he trusted them enough to share everything he had as a General of the rebel forces. He was the highest ranking officer besides the Prophets.  
The Prophets! Everyone had said of their psychic power. Perhaps they had told Farr he was to die in the next day's battle. If that was true, he had to make sure Farr lived, for everything the Elite had done for them. On his word as a Spartan, he swore Farr would live.  
He would come to regret that swear. 


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12  
  
0640 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Rebel Hideout of Daygars compound on planet Raiek  
  
Daylight seemed to come much too fast for the Spartans. They arose slowly, trying to delay the rebels, for they were beaten from the past day's rigerous training. They were taught how to best avoid the plasma beams, sneak in the base, and destroy the cannon. They had no idea when it was to be fired, but they knew they had to hurry.  
Farr rose up above them all and blasted his large voice through the cavernous hideaway. "Noitnetta Sleber!" he beamed in their native tongue. "Eht yad sah emoc!" To the Spartans, he turned and saluted. "We shall fight alongside your forces and do the best that the rebels possibly can. I am prepared to fight and die in the name of Earth! Let the Covenant fall and the humans and rebels rise!"  
"Salute!" James barked. All the Spartans returned the salute.  
To the crowd of rebels, Farr continued in their own tongue. "The Covenant are spread thinly on this planet, and they only barely outnumber us. Only by about one point one five to one! This is a battle we can win!"  
Cheers rang out at the brave words. "The ony thing added is the Howlers, which there are few of on Raiek. They were bred on a diffent planet and some of them have come here. If we survive this, their home planet is our next target. That is where the rest of the Howlers are!"  
"We should get out of here now," Bryce said. "The Covenant will be awake and in full force about now."  
James agreed. "Of course, Farr, we must start. As much as I would like to train more, I feel the Spartans are as prepared as they'll ever be. However, since we're one man short, I don't know how we'll fare against the Covenant."  
Just then, Alex grabbed James's shoulder. "Is the Flood on this planet?" he asked.  
James sighed. "I haven't seen them so far, but that doesn't mean they're not here. Be careful," he ordered his troops, "and always carry a shotgun. Farr has supplied us with plenty of human ammo and grenades, so we should be able to handle anything left behind in Daygars after Farr causes a commotion to distract the Covenant."  
Farr agreed. "Once you're in position, signal to us and we'll open fire from our hiding spot in the center field. Hopefully we'll draw out the Covenant forces, Howlers and Flood to allow you free access to their cannon."  
"I assume some troops will be left behind to defend their cannon, but we shouldn't run into many problems."  
Farr looked hard at them. He was concerned. "Follow this winding underground tunnel, and it will open up into a large area. The cannon will be there."  
James nodded.  
"Good luck," Farr said and stepped down.  
The rebels cheered as the Spartans made their exit. Once they arrived outside, James looked around, trying to locate any Covenant forces outside. He saw none on the inside. Most were facing outside on the roof, gunning down any UNSC forces Standon dispatched outside. However, all of them were on full alert for the humans inside Daygars. The humans didn't dare go outside, because Standon thought they had left. If he saw them still present on Raiek, he might dismiss them from the military.  
James and Alex slung ropes onto the ceiling and climbed up. They were planning on dropping into the cavern from above. Holding the Master Chief rank, Bryce McClain was left in charge of Jason and Jarrett. He ordered them into the Warthogs left by the Marines and they radioed information back to James and Alex.  
"We'll drop in once you arrive in the cavern. I don't know how long you'll last, so we'll help take down aerial weaponry."  
"Aye aye, Commander," Bryce said back.  
  
0643 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Prison Blocks of Daygars compound on planet Raiek  
  
Brent looked up to the ceiling, searching for a way out. He had been carelessly tossed in after being taken by the Elites on the roof. Left to rot in his cell, Brent had been looking for a possible exit since he first got in. He remembered it well.  
Two Elites had knocked him awake, and he immediately started to struggle. They had dragged him down the hall as he kicked and fought. One Elite had smacked him over the head, knocking him senseless as they had tossed him into the cell. Laughing in their strange and cruel manner, they activated the plasma prison bars that held him in.  
Now, nearly a day later, he looked up to the ceiling. He could see tiny creatures with an uncountable number of legs scurrying across the ceiling. They were releasing spores down, which forced the brave Spartan to choke and gag on them. He was beginning to fade, and feel like he couldn't breath. Then, he realized those 'insects' were, in truth, the Infection forms of the Flood. But surely they couldn't be infecting him when he was safe inside his suit.  
Could they?  
Brent put it out of his mind, a sudden feeling of survival rising in his being. He felt as if he had to escape from the Covenant at all costs. They had taken away his weapons, but trying to remove the MJOLNIR armor had proved futile. It was fused to his body, and only he could remove it by releasing the mental "hooks" he had on the suit via his neural implants.  
So now he sat, waiting for his fellow troops to pass by, for some Spartans to come to the plasma-barred window, to blast it open and rescue him. He had used his surperior strength to hammer away at the cell walls several times, but the strength of them had proved they were specifically used to hold Spartans, and contain even their might.  
Weaponless, friendless, even foeless Brent was as he sat in his cell. He longed for someone to talk to, someone to help him. Then, it hit him like a thunderbolt. They hadn't taken his comm-link! Reaching up, he mustered the strength to tap on the side of his helmet, open the channel, and call to anyone willing to listen.  
"Can anyone hear me?"  
  
0646 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Roof of Daygars compound on planet Raiek  
  
Master Commander James peered into the complex. He wasn't able to see anything inside for the tinted glass. He and Alex could just barely make out a Prophet surrounded by several Elites and dozens of Grunts. They were milling about the room, minding their own business, building up the power of the cannon, readying the next load of plasma energy for its journey to Raiek's moon. The Commander could only hope that some of them would leave once Farr got his troops organized and opened fire. The Covenant would be surprised to be under attack by their own kind.  
It was then that a crackling sound came on through his comm-link and a weary voice came through. "Can anyone hear me?" Instantly recognizing the voice, James spoke back into his mic, eagerly gesturing to his helmet for Alex.  
"Brent Ashley, is that you?" James said back into his helmet. "Are you alive? Where are you?"  
Brent barely managed to respond, his voice just a tad above a whisper. "They've got me in the prison blocks. Infection Flood are all over the place, but I don't think they can infect me through my helmet," Brent's shaky voice responded. "I'll send you a map of my position. Maybe you'll be able to locate me through a barred window."  
Instantly, a three-dee map sprang up onto James's HUD, showing him where Brent was lying in his cell. The image zoomed out, and moved clear across the compound to where Alex and James were standing. James turned to his fellow Spartan. "Brent is being held quite a ways away from here. He'll be more accessable from the roof. Think you can get to him?" James asked as he fed the map to Alex's HUD.  
After considering, Alex nodded. "I can do it, sir."  
James gestured to the prison blocks' direction. "Then go at it, soldier!" he commanded.  
  
Jason was driving as the Warthog tore down the underground tunnel, on its way to the cannon inside Raiek. But none of the three on-board were sure what was going to stand in their way. Their questions were answered all too soon.  
From the ceiling grating, from the cracks in the floor, from the vents in the walls, hundreds of infection form Flood poured into the hall, following the Warthog. Jason accelerated, trying to leave them behind, but they leaped and latched onto the vehicle.  
Their twenty-one legs flailed as they leaped, adhering to the slippery metal of a Warthog. As the vehicle sped down the tunnel, they scurried to the front. Bryce was manning the chain-gun, so he aimed down at the runts with a pistol and started to fire. He had to keep them off the military jeep long enough for them to reach the cannon. Then, it was all theirs.  
However, the team of three soon came to a break in the large underground tunnel. Width and height shrunk, making entry by any vehicle impossible. Bryce called into his comm-link, asking for orders. "Commander, we're being blocked off. This means we won't be able to get into the cannon room with the Warthog and cover-fire."  
"We'll have to find another way in for the Warthog," James responded. "I'm sending you a map of the base now. I've already planned a new route for you. I had a feeling this would happen." James paused, then started to speak again. "Get out of there and make your way through the new route. I will meet you there to confirm the plan once again. Alex has gone to retrieve Brent from his cell, and then he shall return on my order to my exact location."  
"Aye aye, Commander," Bryce said and closed his link. The other two had heard him, so he nodded to them.  
Jason spun the wheel and turned the vehicle, gunning the engine and running over the countless infection Flood beings that swarmed them. Jarrett and Bryce kept them at bay.  
As the team headed to their new destination, they could only hope that the Covenant didn't know they had arrived and that Farr and his team were moving into position.  
They could only hope.  
  
Farr 'Tenglannee had massed his army behind a ridge in the middle of the field. They were stationed behind a large blockade, out of view of the Covenant patrols overhead atop the roof of Daygars military compound.  
Kakay, the Grunt trying to recreate the MAC technology, stepped forward, addressing his superior. "Excelleny, are we ready to begin this fight?" he asked, armor bobbing as he shifted uncomfortably, speaking in their native tongue.  
"We will be ready just as soon as the Commander of the Spartans gives us our signal. Once that time comes, we shall begin the attack on Daygars. How do you recommend we start?" Farr asked, looking at Kakay without emotion. "Lend me your military strategy."  
Kakay looked taken aback that a military figure such as the General of Army would be asking a lowly Grunt such as himself a question of that magnitude. But Kakay had studied tactical strategies for several years, and he did know a lot. He opened his mouth to speak. "The best tactic would probably be for several troops to sneak back outside and start firing at the inside from their position."  
Farr cocked his head, but nodded. Kakay continued.  
"Once they start firing to distract some of the forces, we unleash our full fury from our current position. We'll take them off-guard and perhaps destroy some of them before they know what hit them."  
'Tenganlee looked down at his temporary Grunt tactician. "Double distraction, I like it. What about the Banshees that we stole several weeks ago? We still have three of them. What do you propose we use those for, soldier?"  
Kakay had another use for those as well. "Bombard the roof of Daygars with them until they are shot down. Remember, the Elites and Grunts and Hunters sent on the missions to distract and air-attack will be sent to their deaths. Recruit only those willing to seem more fair. Tell them their expected fate."  
Farr had to think it over. Distraction was a powerful strategy, and air support would greatly aid them in destroying the wall-guards. Once they were down, the rebels would proceed into Daygars itself and kill the Prophets if the Spartans had not done so already. Their main focus, however, was to stay outside and distract the Covenant while the Spartans destroyed that cannon. But if no troops came, they would have to move in.  
Farr spoke to his group of organized rebels. "Any volunteers for the missions I know you all heard?" he boomed, trying to keep his voice low enough, though, so the wall-guards would not overhear.  
Several Elites and Hunters raised their limbs high into the air. Farr selected seven Elites and four Hunters for distraction, and three more Elites to be assigned to the Banshees. The team of eleven, assigned Distract Team, stood and made their way to the exit of the compound, being careful to stick to the walls and not draw any attention to themselves.  
The Banshee Team of three saluted and made their way back into the hideout to retrieve the three flyers they would need. There was another exit just outside the base, unknown to the Covenant, that they could use to start flying.  
Farr again turned to Kakay. "You have aided me greatly, tactician. Now, we must sit and wait for the groups to get into position and wait for my orders. Once the Spartans give me the signal, we shall attack!" 


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13  
  
0706 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Prison Blocks of Daygars compound on planet Raiek  
  
Brent was beginning to grow weary of waiting in his cell. James had promised to rescue him but had not delivered. He felt himself growing angry, angrier than he usually did. But he regretted this anger and supressed it deep within himself. He didn't know how much longer he could keep doing this, so he thought nothing of it and inspected the bars that held him.  
On the opposite wall of the tiny prison blocks, Brent spotted a control panel for his cage. He became angered that they were so far away. But he again supressed this and gazed around the room for a way to escape.  
Just then, a tap behind him caused him to spin around. He looked through the barred windows into the bright sunlight of Raiek's two suns and saw Alex Daufel, hanging next to the window, holding a pistol in his hand. "Need this?" he asked, a grin on his face under his helmet.  
Brent reached up and jerked the weapon from the Spartan's hold. "Give me that!" he growled.  
Alex held up his hands innocently. "No need to be so irritable. I'm sending you a map of the base, and a triangle on it will tell you where you need to rendezvous with us, along with a path to follow from here to there."  
"Okay!" Brent grunted and held the pistol upwards, aiming at the control device.  
Alex sighed deeply. "See you later," he muttered and raised himself back onto the roof.  
Brent took aim right at the controls. Since they were sort of far away, he activated the 2X scope and unleashed a single bullet into the controls. The bars in front of him seemed to flicker, fade, then vanish. Now freed, Brent moved next to the controls and found an emergency stash of weaponry in a box. He shot the lock off with his pistol and opened it.  
Inside were four plasma grenades, two plasma pistols and a plasma rifle. Brent took all the grenades and swiped the rifle from its place. It would be far more effective than a plasma pistol in combat.  
Bringing up the map from Alex in his HUD, Brent studied it, and took off down the hallway, ready to follow the path, muttering words under his breath. He was in no mood to have to chase down his team when Alex could have easily pried the wall open, he thought.  
But that was not true. The walls would have been too strong had Alex tried to open them. It was just Brent's rising anger that triggered the ludicrous notion.  
Gripping his M6D pistol in one hand, Brent moved quickly down the hallway.  
  
0702 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ UNSC battleship Pillar of Winter, in orbit around planet Raiek  
  
Captain Moores held onto the brass railing behind him. He stared out the main viewport of the Pillar of Winter, which was constructed in much the same way as Captain Keyes' ship, made in his honor. Thinking deeply of the Spartans and Marines down on Raiek below, he started to bellow out an order to contact the Master Commander and have him report.  
Just then, a feisty General Henry Standon burst onto the bridge, blowing past several astonished officers and came to stand next to the Captain. He gave a smart salute and stood at attention. "At ease," Moores grunted.  
The General held up a file containing information on the most recent events of Raiek. The fact that James had refused to be re-assigned was unacceptable of the Spartan himself and particularily of his own commander, Captain Moores. "I have the most recents reports that you requested, Captain," Standon said, throwing a frown the Captain's way.  
Moores lightly took the disc and inserted it into its drive. A small blue light shot forth and came to a rest upon the retina of Captain Moores. The astonished Captain read the report from the General with great speed. After he had finished, he stared at the General roughly, trying to figure out what the General was getting at.  
"I understand you are upset with the Commander that he refused to be re- assigned, but that was why they were picked for the job of newly-recruited Spartans. They never give up, and never return to base without having succeeded at their mission." The General gave a curt nod. "And now you figure I should withdraw them myself?" he asked.  
Standon's eyes were rock-hard, untouchable in their decision. "Yes, sir," he said, staring at his two officers that flanked him. Colonel Garison, the Marine from Raiek, was among them. "I believe that those arrogant Spartans will get their just desserts by being forced to work with you on Jarrisno and will keep them out of trouble, sir." He stood straighter, his face appearing to become even more rock-hard. "I trust you shall withdraw them immediately and allow my Marines to handle the Raiek situation themselves."  
"Negative, General," Moores said, glaring hard at Standon. "My Spartans will continue their work. Even if all six of them die, it will be lives well-spent if they get the job done. I've lost Spartans in combat before, and I'm prepared to do it again."  
Standon frowned. "That is not the issue at hand! The issue is that those Spartans are no better trained for this mission than my Marines. Soon, they will completely take over, Captain!"  
"No, they won't," the Captain growled. "He picked up a disc file and tapped a button. The blue light beamed onto the General's retina. "Look at this! Commander James Carser of the Spartans reported to me a new race in the Covenant, called Howlers. According to him, the only ones capable of surviving their deadly howls are the Spartans themselves."  
The General grunted as the file was withdrawn from his eyes. "What's your point, Captain?" he asked sternly.  
"My point is that James told me a Marine under his command was killed in combat against them, and many more to add to that under the command of your Colonel over there." Colonel Garison's eyes darted widly at the comment. Moores was right. "And also, since the Spartans are the only ones that can live through the attacks, I order you to withdraw any Marines left down there, and allow the Spartans to handle this one!" he barked.  
The General thought for a moment, and then nodded. He took out a plasma pistol he'd swiped from an Elite and handed it to Moores, nozzle-first. "You're right. The Spartans are better off on this one. Also, in honor of your orders, I'll hand over my weapon and permanently withdraw from this place."  
As Moores reached out his hand, Standon squeezed the trigger. The plasma energy lanced forward, missing Moores by inches. The resulting effect was that a Marine pilot driving the Winter was taken straight through his back. The explosion that followed shattered the control mechanism, causing the ship to buck and shake. They were losing control.  
"Shields down!" one officer called.  
"Engines losing power!" another announced.  
The ship's AI, Darkel, snapped on. His chosen form was that of a cheetah that walked like a human. He stood at the edge of his perch, his tail flicking behind him. "The ship is going down, Captain," he said in a monotone voice. "We'll have to make an emergency landing."  
Moores snatched the plasma pistol and aimed it at the mad General. "You're insane!" he cried. He squeezed the trigger, and the bolt of fire impacted the General in his chest. He collapsed, and Moores ordered his officers and the General to be chained up and gagged. All three of them would live, but not in comfort. They were to be thrown into the prison blocks on-board the ship. Turning to Lieutenant Sellers, Moores handed the weapon over butt-first.  
"Take this and keep it. Use it in case the Covenant take our time of weakness to attack."  
Sellers started to turn, but then looked back. "Where will we go without engine power?" he asked the Captain.  
Moores looked out the viewscreen, horror on his face as he watched the moon of Raiek loom closer. "The only place we can go. The moon of Raiek! Darkel isn't strong enough after being debugged before we left to keep us up."  
The Pillar of Winter slowly began to fall down to the moon, pulled into the atmosphere by the gravity of the moon. They slowly sunk towards the ground. Within minutes, they smashed into the surface of the moon, tossing the entire crew to the floor.  
Once order had been restored, Moores rose above the rest. "Take what weapons you can and find some grenades. We need to completely abandon ship for now. Since we're marooned on the moon of Raiek, it'll be up to the Spartans on Raiek to rescue us. For now, let's remain here and guard the ship. I'm going to send several dropships full of Marines and find out where the plasma cannon on this moon is."  
Since there was constant travel of freight ships going from the moon to Raiek, a cannon was obviously being powered here. No one was sure exactly what it was, and that was their best guess. However, before they could destroy it, they had to find it...  
  
0716 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Inside Daygars compound on planet Raiek  
  
James stood next to Jason, Bryce and Jarrett as the two of them related what they saw in that blocked tunnel to their Commander. "There was no way for us to get the Warthog through," Jason said, standing at attention. "So we had no choice but to make our way around through this tunnel like you ordered, sir."  
"Good," James said, turning to face Bryce. "You say you encountered infection Flood?" he asked sternly, not a hint of emotion in his voice.  
"Aye, Commander," Bryce responded.  
James took a moment to think it over. If the Flood really were on this planet, they'd do anything it took to infect the bodies of his Spartans. After putting a hand to his chin, James looked at Bryce. "Have you seen any Howlers lately?" he asked finally.  
"No," said Bryce. "None since that time in the tunnel yesterday." He put a hand to his waist. "You think those were the only ones?" he asked quizically.  
James shook his head. "Of course not. There are many more on the planet. I'm not sure how many of them exactly made it to Raiek, but it is my hope that we can find them all and destroy them. This Howler deal ends here!"  
Almost in response, a growl uttered from behind them. The Spartans spun around to see four Howlers standing further down the hall way. Infection Flood scuttled along the ceiling around them, not even bugging the Howlers. "You end here!" the Howler spat and opened his mouth.  
The three behind him watched in silence.  
"Move!" James screamed. "Get out of here!" The five of them scattered down the hallway, moving as one unit before the Howlers could strike.  
"Kee-ROWWWWWWWWWW!" The shockwaves caused by the puny-looking Howler appeared to follow the Spartans down the tunnel, aimed right at them. The blast caught Jason, who, ironically, was at the rear, causing him to stumble. The rest of his team continued.  
James shouted out immediate orders to his team, seeing a closing door up ahead, activated by the Howlers. If they got through, it would be their savior. If they were left behind, they would die at the Howlers' hands. Alex hesitated, thinking about rescuing Jason. "Leave him!" the Commander cried. The four remaning Spartans dashed through the door just as it started to close more quickly.  
They turned to see Jason's body crawling with infection Flood. He held a hand out, calling to his teammates. Withdrawing his MA5B assault rifle, he started to fire, but there was a click as his ammo ran out. He had used too much of it before on the Warthog. The door closed as he tried to reload, and the Spartan team could hear his final cries.  
Alex turned to James. "He was our best friend!" Alex shouted, shoving the Commander against the wall.  
James withdrew his assault rifle and aimed it right at Alex's helmet. "And I'll do it to you if you don't shut up!" he warned. After Alex had calmed, James calmed himself as well. "If any of us had tried to get Jason, the rescuer would have been left behind. Then, the rescue would have been futile, and only three of us would be left!"  
Alex saw his mistake, but he didn't apologize. He just snorted and continued down the hall. Even though he and James were best friends, this didn't seem like the time for celebrating their escape.  
They continued in silence, the lights on their guns paving the way in the pitch-black tunnel. There didn't seem to be any reason to speak, but then they heard a noise.  
"What was that?" Jarrett asked, pointing his light upwards to where the sound came from.  
James tried to keep a cool head, although he was terrified. "I have no idea. Let's press on." In no more than several minutes, the team of four had arrived upon a vent shaft leading straight up. From the looks of it, it came out on the roof.  
"I'm going to go up that way," James said. "The three of you continue down the hallway and you'll get to the cannon room. When you start to engage, I'll drop in from above to provide additional support." His crew nodded, so he slung a rope up there and began his descent. "Meet up with you later," he called as he moved.  
Alex was in command. He waved his men down the tunnel, so they continued. Eventually coming to a door, it opened by itself, revealing the room beyond.  
The large cannon sat in the very middle, and it sparkled with purple plasma energy and from its own glorious shine. Elites were around it, just in time getting it finished. As the last energy plate was snapped on, an Elite pulled a lever and it fired up. The end of it seemed to pop and sizzle. The cannon itself was turning to face another angle, always upwards. A large door was overhead, made of metal and closed at the moment. Once they were ready, they would no doubt open that door to fire the device.  
A gold-clad Elite stood on the top of it, obviously at the controls. The translators helped the Spartans know what he was saying. "We have finally reached our most glorious moment!" he boomed as Elites, Grunts, Jackals, and two Howlers turned to watch. "Our target: Sigma Octanus!"  
  
0724 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Open field in Daygars compound on planet Raiek  
  
Farr stood outside with his troops ready to fight. Just then, a call came in through his comm-link. It was the Commander. "Go!" was the only word.  
Activating the link to his troops, Farr talked to them. "The Commander has gives us the signal!" he said into the crackling mic. "Attack!"  
From the front of Daygars on the outside, the three Hunters steadied their arms right at the top of Daygars. Focusing intently, they let out a mighty roar of battle as their arm-mounted cannons fired out a large blast of pure plasma energy right at the fortress itself.  
The wall-guards screeched aloud and swiveled in their seats. A Grunt in a mounted Shade fired, killing one of the Elites. Only six outside still stood. Suddenly, the roar of three Banshees above put out that Grunt for good. The plasma bolts took the guards by surprise, and they stumbled over themselves to destroy the ship. A Hunter on the roof aimed his arm upwards and destroyed one of the Banshees with a single direct hit.  
The Hunters on the ground fired again! The ceiling literally exploded inward, caving in on itself.  
The warcry of Farr and his troops rained out as they stood up, activated their stolen plasma shields, and fired their weapons at Daygars from their trench hiding spot. "Keep firing!" Farr boomed.  
It was then that streams of Covenant warriors began to pour from the compound, firing back at Farr and his group as they leaped over their cover and began to engage in hand-to-hand combat. More Covenant went down than rebels, but the tide would soon have to change. All three rebel Banshees had been shot down, and now nearly the whole of Daygars was outside, fighting the rebels. It was impossible to tell friend from foe after the two sides met, so they just killed whoever got in their way.  
  
0726 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Cannon Room of Daygars compound on planet Raiek  
  
Inside the cannon room, the Elites turned to face outside. Around half the Grunts and nearly all the Elites ran, obeying their Prophets orders. After the tide had left, only seventeen Grunts, four Elites (including the gold one), and one Howler remained.  
Alex jumped from his hiding spot and took down a Grunt with three neatly-placed shots. Jarrett followed up by pegging two Grunts with three shots, downing them. From another corner of the room, Bryce leaped forward and fired his shotgun, taking out two Elites with two shots.  
The gold Elite above howled a warning and pulled the lever. Within seconds, the roof of the complex began to open, revealing the snowy wasteland that was Raiek. They were far from the field where Farr fought, but close enough to hear battle cries. With one flick of a switch, the cannon powered up.  
From the window above, James dropped in, shattering the glass as he moved through the threshold and landed behind the commander Elite. With the butt of his gun, he knocked the Elite backwards over the railing. The Elite rammed into the ground and was dead instantly by falling from such a height.  
As this happened, the cannon began to rotate as the overhead door opened fully. The cannon was starting to power-up, and James was looking at the controls. He couldn't make heads or tails of the dots, bars, and lines that was the Covenant language.  
Then, Bryce jumped up beside him. "I can't stop it!" James shouted as the cannon started to collect energy on its tip.  
"Then do this!" Bryce shouted, flipping his assault rifle over, butt- first. With one ram, he shoved it right into the control panel, which sizzled from energy and sparked. James aimed at it and unloaded several bullets into it, completely destroying it. Instantly, the cannon stopped moving and loading.  
Alex and Jarrett came up behind them. James was reading some data on Raiek. "Look here," he said, turning to them, holding a data-pad. According to my translation, the core of Raiek is indeed pure plasma. And as we speak the planet is literally eating itself alive. It only had three days left before the core of the planet eats through the surface!"  
Alex paused, thinking. "I have an idea." He moved to the firing mechanism and put his hand on the switch. It was turned upwards. He moved it into neutral, and then down. The cannon started up again, but instead of collecting energy, it visibly shot the energy back into the planet. As a result, the eating of this planet would happen much quicker.  
"We have to get off this planet!" Alex said. He stared at a countdown timer. "We only have three hours!" He and the rest of the team leaped to the ground and began to move back down the tunnel.  
Further into it, they were back in the dark. Their lights shone everywhere. Within minutes, they stopped and assessed their plan on how they would escape from the planet with their new rebel friends.  
"We have no choice but to take them with us in Foehammer and the other dropships," Jarrett said. "We can't leave them here."  
Alex spoke up. "Foehammer and the other ships can't hold them all!"  
James held up a hand. "I doubt all of them will survive their battle. Hopefully Farr will so I can thank him for what he's done for us. Without his help, I doubt we'd still be alive right now. It was because of him we got as far as we did. If we didn't have their distraction and inevitable sacrifice, we wouldn't succeed."  
Alex grabbed the Commander and they started back down the tunnel. "We have to get off this planet! It's going to be covered in liquid plasma soon, and we have to be off of it by then!" The team moved back down the tunnel.  
"Let's go! We have to make our exit NOW!" The team hurried down the hallway and emerged back onto the surface, right in time to see Farr fight with an Elite.  
The Elite jumped to the side, and roared. Farr ducked under a blow and came up with an uppercut. The Elite, in a last ditch attempt to take out its foe, fired his needler, a small curved weapon with dorsallike needles protruding from the top, at Farr. The brave Elite General took the spikes through his chest. He fired his plasma rifle at the Elite's head, killing it. Then, the needles exploded in a blue-white flare, downing the rebel General. He fell in a heap.  
Jarrett sprinted to his side and lifted him. He wasn't nearly as qualified as Jason was in meds, but he knew more than the rest of them. He hoisted Farr up onto one shoulder, blue blood dripping onto his MJOLNIR battle armor, and activated his comm-link. For Farr to survive, he would have to be filled with the self-sealing bio-foam and taken to certified medics.  
"Foehammer," Jarrett said into his mic, "we've got a situation down here. A rebel Covenant General had been wounded, and we need immediate evac."  
Within seconds, a voice came back on the communication link. "Roger that, Lieutenant. ETA is seven minutes. Confirmed?"  
"Affirmative," Jarret responded and closed the link. He turned to the Commander. "ETA is seven minutes."  
James nodded. As he looked around him, he could see that the rebels were losing a crucial battle, but if they could just hold on until the planet's plasma began to break through, the battle might belong to the humans. "Keep fighting," he called out, trying to put some confidence in the rebels. He then turned to Alex, full of worry. "We have to get off of here."  
As he finished this, the crust below his feet sparked away. Purple energy seemed to flicker and spew from it. James moved to the side and watched as the energy literally bubbled over the crack and began to eat the planet alive. They watched with intensity for several minutes. "We definitely have to get off of this rock!" Alex said.  
Above them, they heard the whine of engines on atmosphere as Foehammer circled in, dropping down low. Just then, the entire planet seemed to explode. Plasma erupted from the surface, and launched itself onto the crust. Snow melted in seconds under its intense heat, and boiled away soon after that.  
James looked up. Foehammer couldn't come low enough to pick them up, because the plasma was too strong. They might be hit. But a Marine tossed down four grapple hooks, which the Marines easily caught.  
They used their grapples to fire up onto the open evac door, and pulled themselves up. They planned to use the dropship to pick up surviving rebels, but as they watched, Covenant and rebels alike began to boil alive in the scalding heat of the plasma energy which now flowed onto the surface.  
Jarrett and James strapped Farr into a seat and filled his stomach with bio-foam to keep him going as well as to keep his guts on the inside where they belonged.  
Alex spotted Brent standing on top of Daygars. He waved his hands eagerly, and Foehammer came near him. In one tremendous leap, the Spartan landed on the insides of Foehammer, easily received.  
"Thanks," he grunted as he sat and strapped himself in. "Oh," he said to James, "there were several Elites coming after us. I tried to shoot them, but I missed every time!" He seemed to laugh.  
James looked at Brent over his shoulder. "You missed?" This seemed absurd, because Brent had one of the best accuracy ratings of any Spartan to ever live. He never missed. Ever. "You missed?" he repeated, blown away.  
Brent shrugged. "Sure."  
James shook his head and moved to the hatch door. It was this fact that would give Brent away in the end.  
Below them, the entire crew watched as Daygars seemed to melt and ripple in the energy. In seconds, Raiek had gone from snowy crust to liquid plasma. Hardly a mile of Raiek's crust was there, because the entire surface had been melted away. Standing down on one little chunk of crust, Kakay waved his hands.  
James recognized the little Grunt as one of Farr's friends, so he ordered the pilot to go down and pick him up. Amid the boiling waves and plasma splashes of Raiek's now liquid surface, Kakay sprinted for the ship. He hopped up and reached out his hand.  
"I've got you—!" James cried. However, he was cut short by a bullet sound. A neat circle formed itself right in Kakay's head, taking him out instantly. James gasped as Kakay splashed into the plasma, incinerated instantly without protection.  
Brent held a smoking M6D pistol in his hand. James turned to him. "What did you do?" he cried.  
A blow across the face knocked James to the ground. As he looked up, terrified at just being struck by Brent's gun, he pulled out his assault rifle. "Who are you?" he growled.  
Brent's armor seemed to ripple. He let out several low gurgles, and the armor looked to be under a large amount of pressure. James's eyes went wide as the MJOLNIR armor completely shattered from Brent's body, revealing the combat form Flood underneath. The armor clattered to the floor, reduced to splinters of metal. Brent had been infected by the Flood! 


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14  
  
0748 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Dropship Foehammer, above plasma-waves of planet Raiek  
  
James stared up in horror as the grotesque sight of Brent loomed above him. Brent had been mutated by the Flood, and his flesh was basically non- existant. What little of it was left had been reduced to gray, shifting, infected, dirty flesh that seemed to writhe on his body. His face was eaten almost totally away. Only charred parts of it remained, and his teeth were yellow and cut short.  
His arms were long and fleshy, with four fingers on them, capable of elongating into deadly tentacles used in a whiplike fashion. His legs were soldily built. It would take a lot to bring this one down.  
Using his fingers like tentacles and stretching them to lengths so far they whipped around the deck in a whirling fashion, Brent aimed them right for James's helmet. The blow struck home, sending the Commander sprawling backwards, where he landed and didn't move.  
Bryce and Jarrett leaped up and opened fire, but Brent shoved them backwards with a push from his waving tentacles.  
Alex burst out from the cockpit door and raised his MA5B assault rifle. However, even his speed was much too slow for Brent's lashing tendrils. He whipped out and snapped one finger, causing the gun to go skittering from his hand. With another flick, he pushed Alex down.  
James raised an M6D pistol and fired it right at Brent's vile leg. The wound sprouted no blood, because Brent had no blood to offer. The monstrosity roared in anger and charged forward. Taking the blow hard in his chest, James fell backwards and landed in a heap on the far wall.  
Alex and Bryce sprang up and fired at the same time. Jarrett came up behind them and fired a pistol. Brent was taking the hits hard, but the sudden lashing out of his tentacles sent them all backwards.  
Brent latched onto Bryce's leg. In one quick motion, he flung the brave soldier back out the open hatch of the Pelican dropship. Crying aloud, Bryce flailed his arms as he plummeted towards the plasma. If he dropped into it, he'd fall as if he were in air, because the plasma was so spread apart, unlike water. He'd also have only eight seconds for the shield to hold up, and about five seconds before it ate through the armor.  
James leaped up, crying out at Bryce's distress. He raised an assault rifle and fired off several rounds into Brent's legs. The Flood combat monster fell to the left, landing on the wall.  
Bryce hurried to quickly assemble the device before he ran out of time. Pulling a fresh hook from his belt, Bryce tied the hook in place and aimed it towards Foehammer. He pulled the trigger, felt the slight force of carbon dioxide power, and watched as the rope zipped upwards, snagging onto the open lip of the boarding ramp.  
Moving quickly to avoid the tentacles, James sprang backwards and shouted to Jarrett. "Get up there and help the pilot!" Jarrett immediately sprinted away. When James spotted the line of Bryce latch on, he moved quickly to it.  
Meanwhile, Alex aimed a punch at Brent, who was back on his feet. The Flood monster took the assault and knocked Alex in the jaw. Taking another swing, Alex was blocked with his left arm, then right, and then knocked backwards. He came back for more and they continued to fight.  
Bryce's rope caught on the lip, and the line pulled taught just before he would have taken a swim. Letting out a grunt, Bryce swooped back up, and changed the function from fire to retract. Once it was engaged, Bryce pulled the trigger and began to slowly close the distance between him and the ship.  
Using his mighty Spartan strength, James began to hoist Bryce back up. "I'm going to pull you in!" he called into his mic. He saw, with expert vison, the worried nod of Bryce's head.  
Alex was knocked backwards by Brent's tentacle, which tripped him as he fell back. He landed hard on the floor near the wall. Sick of this hand-to- hand, Brent moved towards James as the Commander hoisted Bryce back up. Just as James spun around, Brent landed a back-hand smack with three tentacles, sending him to the ground.  
Bryce felt the recoil, and because of the rope falling a bit more since James stumbled, a wave shot through it. It spiraled upwards and traveled at amazing speeds at Bryce. As it came down, the intense speed caused the wave in the line to snap against Bryce's wrist, so strong it left a crack. With a grunt, he continued to hold for dear life. If he fell in, he would die.  
When he had grown weary of this type of attack and provoking, Brent stood up to his full height and four tentacles smacked James's visor, sending him tumbling over the edge. He reached up and snagged the side of the ship. Using the suit's multiple functions, James locked the movement of his left hand so it would not be able to be moved, and thus becoming like an anchor for him and Bryce.  
It was only the progrees of Bryce's retracting rope that saved him. James fell some distance before he was able to right himself, and the rope traveled further down considerably. Once again caught, Bryce's left boot dipped into the plasma at incredible speeds since the Pelican continued to move. His shields instantly failed, and flashed warnings at him inside his HUD.  
After a short cry from the slight fall, Bryce tightened his grip even more so, if that was possible. He wanted to come out of this mission alive, and death was now staring him right in the face. Jason was presumed dead, and Brent was on his way, which left only four Spartans alive. If all of them died, Earth was doomed, and the Raiek project would essentially succeed.  
Whatever was on that moon would make it if the Spartans didn't. It was either it...or them.  
  
0736 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Daygars compound on planet Raiek (or what's left of it)  
  
Just as the plasma columns gouted up onto the surface several minutes before Bryce was faced with certain death, a Covenant dropship swooped down to retrieve any survivors. Rebels were to die and faithful warriors were to be rewarded. The Flood, according to their Prophets, were expendable for any reason.  
Since the Covenant didn't especially like the Flood, they had no reason to save them. The pilot Elite flying the dropship came down and landed next to a piece of Daygars still suriving. Nearly a hundred total Elites, Hunters, Jackals and Grunts were waiting on it, along with seventeen Howlers. Coming in at a strange angle, they took a second to right themselves, and slowed to a stop in the crevice made especially for the U- shaped craft.  
A strong gold-clad Elite named Zaran 'Gangolee held his plasma sword in one hand, using his other to direct what little forces he had back aboard the dropship. In the distance, he could see several others coming nearer. If they couldn't fit aboard this one, two others might be useful.  
"Keep moving!" he shouted encouragingly. "Raiek is going down, and we are too if we don't get off this rock!"  
Constant plasma geysers erupted around them, spraying the landing platform with the melting substance, killing many Covenant warriors. But Zaran kept his men moving, urging them into the ships. The Prophets would be most pleased if the vast majority of his army survived.  
As the last of the Hunters and Grunts were making their way onto the third ship, for that was how many it took to evac all the Covenant warriors, a combat Flood warrior hid underneath the loading platform. He laughed to himself as one whiplike tentacle latched onto the underside. Since his flesh was nearly gone, the heat of the engines wouldn't hurt him.  
With one flick of his wrist, he swung over and adhered to the bottom of the ship, grabbing several handholds with his many tentacles. After the trip through space which he could easily survive, since his lungs were pretty much gone and all that was left was rotten flesh powered by the Flood spores, he planned on landing on Raiek's moon along with the Covenant and starting up more Flood there. If it worked, they could overpower the Covenant and take the moon as their own.  
Zaran hopped aboard one dropship, and the entire ship was gone in a blinding flash of light, sent nearly above the atmosphere in mere seconds.  
  
Standon and his men were sitting in their cell aboard the Winter. The rest of the crew had long-since left, but since they were considered useless, Captain Moores had left them to die. If the General ever got his hands on that Captain....the General shifted uncomfortably as the bio-foam in his stomach moved several inches. He wanted to rub the area, but his hands were buckled over his head in powerful metal shackles bolted onto the ship's walls.  
He grunted with exertion, trying to break his bonds, but it was no use. Those things were so strong only a Hunter could snap them. Standon slumped back down, weary.  
Colonel Garison struggled to keep from losing his lunch. The metal bond around his neck was specially designed to gag its captors, and the exhausted Colonel realized struggling was no use. He looked to his left and saw the General's other officer, already dead from hunger. The sight sickened him to the core.  
Standon himself hadn't eaten in two days from anticipation of murdering Moores, but the filthy captain had escaped his fate. For that, he would pay. The next time the General met the Captain, one of them wouldn't survive.  
With an echo that reverberated through the both of them, the door in the corner shook violently. Waves of sound blasted over them, and they twisted up their faces as the door buckled and clattered to the ground. With a roar, an Elite leaped through, dressed in blue armor, followed by one more blue-clad warrior. Behind them came one red Elite, and one gold.  
Finally, behind all four Elites, five Grunts waddled into the largish room as well. They laughed in delight and ran over to the two humans, waving their guns around madly. They wanted the kill!  
Zaran 'Gangolee, dressed in his treasured golden armor, strode up to the General. He figured this human was the highest ranking of the two. His jacket was covered with medals and pins. Zaran stared down at him, struggling to speak English to him.  
"General Standon?" he grunted.  
Standon looked up, horrified at the sight of the Elite, who easily stood seven feet tall. He held a plasma rifle in one hand, and an unlit plasma sword was clapsed onto his forearm. Standon nodded in reply to the warrior's question, shaking in fear. The Colonel next to him was out cold.  
"Good," Zaran grunted, starting to struggle with his English translator to get it to work properly. "I'm Zaran 'Gangolee. You come with me, reveal plans of humans, or die here." The blue-clad Elites leveled plasma pistols at the General's head. "Up to you," Zaran concluded.  
Standon considered. Even if he did reveal the places that the humans were, the Covenant would kill him. But if he just died now, the humans might succeed. The one thing Standon wanted was to see Moores fail...die trying. He wanted Moores to die.  
Breathing deeply, Standon stared into the Elite commander's face. The slit eyes were bearing down at him, but he couldn't tell if the officer was angry or just bored. With a slight nod, Standon signaled he would do what the Elite wanted.  
Zaran held up a clawed hand. The two minor Elites raised their guns. Thinking the weapons were pointed right at his face, Standon cringed and screamed. Perhaps they had misunderstood him. Perhaps they thought he would prefer death.  
As the scream began to die down, the Elites fired. The shackles holding Standon's wrist shattered and clattered to the ground. Zaran leaned forward and yanked hard on the neck brace. It took several pulls, but he eventually popped it free from the wall. Rubbing his neck, Standon stood up. He would have killed them all, but he was without weapons.  
Zaran signaled to the Grunts, and they made their exit, laughing. "Shall we take him?" Zaran asked, indicating the still-unconscious Colonel. Standon nodded, shaking. The red-armored Elite fired his gun at the three shackles and hefted the human onto the shoulders of one of the minor Elites.  
"Take him, make sure he lives," Zaran grunted. He strode from the room, followed by the two minor Elites, followed by the General, with the red Elite taking up the rear.  
They were on the moon, headed for the main room of Orean's military complex. The complex itself was much smaller than Raiek's, as it consisted of only two rooms, both of which were underground. Around the large metal pipe entrance, four Shades, seven Ghosts, six Banshees, and plenty of soldiers stood guard.  
The moon of Raiek was dubbed Orean by the Covenant. It was the Covenant's last stand against the humans. After losing Raiek to the Spartans, Orean was all they had left in this area of space. The Fortress had been built by humans, but was overrun a year beforehand. The humans were hoping they could either take it back, or destroy it. 


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15  
  
0805 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Dropship Foehammer, above plasma-waves of planet Raiek  
  
Alex slowly picked himself up. Looking onward, he saw James was over the edge, dangling on the lip of the door, just barely able to hold on. With a cry of fury, Alex launched himself at Brent, tossing his assault rifle to the ground. Brent spun just before he hit the Commander and grabbed Alex in mid-air.  
"Want some more?" Brent growled. With a flick of his wrist, he sent Alex careening back into the far wall, where he slumped to the ground and moaned.  
Brent turned back to James and raised his hand up high. With a snap, the tentacles shot out, and slammed into James's visor, cracking the side. It was then that Bryce came zipping back up. He landed on the deck and watched as James fell out of the ship, helpless to stop himself. Quickly loading his gun, he fired it back at the Commander, and the hook latched onto his boot. Starting the reel, Bryce ducked a swing from the combat Flood, and shoved the monstrosity backwards. Brent stumbled, clumsy as a Flood form.  
James was coming back up realatively quickly, but so was Brent. He leaped onto his feet, but Alex launched himself at Brent's back. Using his mighty strong grip, he pulled Brent over backwards. They both fell. Brent shot a tentacle out, which snapped Alex in a pinch. He was tossed up from the deck and spun in mid-air, trying to stabilize himself.  
James pulled himself over the edge and thanked Bryce for saving him. After untying himself from the hook, he and Bryce faced Brent as Alex was tossed, yet again, to the ground.  
The Commander grabbed one tentacle, and Bryce grabbed the other, trying to hold Brent still. But it was no use. He was much too strong, so the combat Flood smashed the two of them together, and they fell as well.  
Brent leaped to the door leading to the cockpit, but Jarrett launched himself from it, and nailed Brent in the chest. As he flopped to the ground, Alex and Bryce raised their MA5B assault rifles and opened fire. Brent took the rounds in his chest. He screamed and stumbled backwards towards the open hatch.  
Jarrett looked around from his place on the floor as he opened fire with his gun as well. James was nowhere to be seen.  
When Alex and Bryce stopped to slam new clips into their weapons, James dropped from the roof of the Dropship and landed in front of Brent. He pulled the pin of a Fragmentation Grenade and rammed it down Brent's mismatched throat. Screeching in pain, Brent fell over the edge of the hatch, and the grenade went off while he was still in mid-air.  
That was two Spartans gone...four left.  
  
0810 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Surface of Orean, Moon of planet Raiek  
  
Captain Moores was terrified. There were Covenant warriors swarming the place. He didn't know if the equipment they'd brought along with them would be enough to combat the forces or not. Even thought Orean's fortress wasn't much of a fortress, it was enough that it had significant defenses.  
Looking towards one of his Lieutenants, he waved him over. "Look, Lieutenant," the Captain said, shaking. "We have no choice but to go for a frontal assault. With only twelve Warthogs and three Scorpions, we'll be taken down quickly from any direction. I want the Warthogs to go in waves of four. Totaling in at three waves."  
"Pemission to speak freely, sir?" Sellers asked.  
"Granted," Moores muttered.  
"Perhaps it would be wiser to send the 'Hogs in four waves of three. That way, we'll probably supply basically the same amount of fire, and be able to send more waves. Agree, sir?"  
Captain Moores thought over this. "Agreed, Lieutenant. Good work." He placed his left hand to his chin, relaxing his hold on the M6D pistol in his right hand. "I want the Scorpions to be close enough to provide cover fire, but be out of sight. Keep them back in the trees."  
Unlike Raiek's harsh conditions, Orean was completely different. It had a better atmosphere, so it was warm on the moon. Trees sprouted up everywhere with red and purple leaves. The entrance to the underground complex was jutting from the ground at a ninety degree angle. It had many guards posted in front of it, but the clearing it was in was perfect to attack in their open position. Several impromptu plasma shields were erected at three-foot intervals around the opening, along with many Jackals, but it was void of shields other than that.  
"What about our snipers?" Sellers asked.  
"They will trek up the hill around the sides. One team of five on the left, one team of five on the right. Finally, one team of the last four from the front, near the Scorpions. We have to make sure there is plenty of cover for the Warthogs to get through. If we get through with at least one wave before we run out, we'll be in good shape once Echo-415 shows up with more Warthogs and troops."  
Moores had radioed the dropship earlier on that day, and he wanted to make sure that there was enough firepower to break into the complex and take it down with the Spartans' LOTUS bombs to blow it from the inside.  
Keying in the command freq, Moores directed his orders to his team of Marines. They were going to bring down the fortress, with or without the help of the Spartans.  
  
When Zaran's dropship had landed earlier, Jason swung out from underneath it and landed on the ground below. He slithered into a vent opening, and was gone in seconds. What he wanted was the Spartans when they came in. He planned to attack from the system of ventilation shafts, and take them all by surprise!  
  
0846 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Command Deck of Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek  
  
Zaran burst into the command area on top of the entrance. It was a rather large room full of Elites and Jackals readying the automated Shades atop the room. They wanted to make sure that this fortress was well- guarded. There were several Grunts as well, but only high-ranking ones.  
With one flick, he tossed the General into the hands of four able- bodied Howler warriors. They screeched aloud and held him steady. Although not the strongest of the Covenant, they were definitely able to hold a terrified human who was nearly numb with fear.  
Zaran came up into the General's face, clicking his mandibles angrily. "So, human," he sneered angrily. The General looked up at the Elite, frightened beyond his own imagine. Looking left, he saw the Colonel dropped to the ground. He was still out cold.  
"Tell me what you know about Moores and his troops. They weren't in the ship when we left, and I want to know where they have gone."  
Standon gulped. The minute he revealed anything, he would be a traitor to the UNSC, and even if he escaped this place alive, Moores would never let him back in, if the Captain even survived the battle. He took a deep breath, and decided to become one of the biggest traitors in UNSC history.  
"They left the ship with plans to attack the Fortress Orean. I believe they planned to station themselves outside and use a frontal assault. I overheard that from some of the Privates before they left the Colonel and I to rot to death in the ship. It's all I know."  
Zaran frowned. He figured this human was telling the truth, but he wanted to at least try and press for more information. He lit the plasma sword attached to his wrist. With an angry face, he held it right next to the old General's quivering throat. "Very good, Standon. I am pleased enough to let you live a bit longer."  
Standon relaxed, and the Howlers tightened their grip, feeling he might be trying to get them to let their guard down.  
"But I want to know something else, General." He pressed the blade in enough to draw blood. "When will they attack?"  
Trying to maintain regular breathing, Standon looked up at Zaran. "I have no idea when they are to attack the Fortress. All I know is that they're outside right now. I spotted them in the trees before we landed."  
Zaran forced the blade in so far that it actually seemed to tickle Standon's skin. "You lie!" he screamed angrily. "Tell me all you know!"  
Standon coughed violently against the plasma blade almost in his throat. He had already been gagged by his own forces, and now by the Covenant. He was beginning to get pretty sick of this gagging business. But if he wanted to escape alive, he would be forced to put up with it. For now. Once Zaran and he were alone, he planned to kill that son of a-  
"Talk!" Zaran screamed.  
Forcing back tears of pain, Standon struggled to keep a straight face. "I know nothing more than what I have told you!"  
Zaran growled in frustration and withdrew his sword. Red blood spattered onto the ground. Zaran then switched off the sword and drew his plasma rifle. The glowing end of the weapon lit up the wrinkled features of the General's forty-seven year old face. Pressing the 'muzzle' against Standon's forehead, Zaran growled out a warning.  
"I am not going to tolerate any more of this nonsense!" he howled. "Reveal to me when the humans plan to—"  
He was interrupted by a Grunt running in, screaming his head off. "Excellency!" he cried when he got near. "Excelleny!"  
Zaran whirled around, lowering his weapon. Standon relaxed again, and the Howlers held tightly. "What do you want, Grunt?" he bellowed.  
"Excelleny, the humans are attacking outside the Fortress! We are trying to hold them off, but it seems like snipers are taking down some of our forces." Zaran looked out the window. It was true. Shades were being overturned as they spoke. It appeared as if several snipers were positioned all around the Fortress entrance, hidden from view, but dropping many Covenant warriors. Not a single human had died thus far.  
Three Warthogs were parked not far from the structure. They fired their M41 light antiaircraft guns, or LAAGs. The 12.7X99mm armor-piercing bullets easily tore into the tiny Shade outposts, and the Ghost hover-sleds, like tissue paper.  
Elites in the Ghosts roared and charged out. Only five of them remained, and they were easily destroyed as they came in by the Scorpions, which were firing from behind the trees, out of sight.  
Zaran, from within the command deck, spun to the human General and knocked him easily to the ground, shoving the plasma rifle into his cheek. He was furious. "If we lose this battle, I will personally rip out your insides and hang them to dry!" He whirled to face his troops. "What are you waiting for? Order reinforcements!"  
In his blind fury, Zaran never noticed the Colonel awaken. In an accidental and rather quick motion, he crushed the young soldier's head with his boot as crimson blood sprayed from underneath. "Oops," he muttered, emotionless.  
  
Moores was trying to hold his position. However, it was not working as he'd planned. Even though the Ghosts outside had been ripped apart by the LAAGs' hail of bullet-fire, it seemed as if more of them were coming from under the base.  
Several trapdoors in front of the base were obviously used to deploy Ghost vehicles, as well as Banshees. Larger, more elevatorlike doors were capable of putting out Wraith tanks, the Covenant version of a Scorpion, only much faster than a battle tank.  
The Captain also had several soldiers armed with M19 SSM Jackhammers, standing several meters away from the snipers and Scorpions. Their job was to destroy any Wraiths that came out from the base.  
Their efforts were met. Two Wraiths buzzed from their elevators and moved backwards. They remained motionless. Moores watched as energy collected on the end. With the loudest boom they had ever heard, a large fireball rocketed from the larger one and blasted into the air, where it seemed to hang at the apex of its journey.  
Moores yelled into the command frequency. "Warthogs, retreat!" he cried. "Those fireballs will take all three of you out!"  
The second Wraith fired another ball as well, which followed the first. The first ball seemed to snap from its suspension and come back towards the ground. With a cataclysmic slam, it erupted into a fiery explosion just inches in front of the Warthog sitting on the left.  
A shockwave rolled over the one next to it, sending it tumbling into the third. The three 'Hogs exploded instantly, killing all the drivers and gunners. Moores knew now that the Covenant weren't messing around with this Fortress as they had with the one on Raiek. Now, they were serious.  
But the Captain was serious as well. He held up his mic and spoke clearly into it. "Everyone! This is Captain Moores! Under my order...open fire." He waited for a minute for everyone to reload and take a breather.  
Up on the left hilltop, the five soldiers took a sip from their canteens and put fresh clips into their sniper's rifles. After resting for several seconds, they re-aimed and zoomed in to the 2X scope. Once many more soldiers came out, it would be time to use the 10X scope. But twice zoomed was good enough for the time being.  
On the right hilltop, one of the snipers heard the whine of engines. It was coming from overhead, and he looked to the heavens. To his horror and surprise, a Covenant Banshee flyer was swooping in overhead. He called to his teammated and pointed up. They all trained their sniper rifles up, and took aim.  
"Sir," the lead sniper of the right hill called down to Moores. "We've got Covenant Banshees inbound! Orders? Over."  
Moores' voice crackled back through the mic. He was unconcerned. "Take them down," he said without emotion. "I want two snipers concentrating on the Banshee and the rest of you keep on the Fortress. If the Banshee is destroyed, put one sniper on each hill on look-out. I'll try to get a Jackhammer up on each hill as fast as I can. Over."  
"Aye, sir," the Colonel responded. "I'll relay that, sir. Over and out."  
"Affirmative," the Captain said back. Moores turned to his Lieutenant. "Sellers," he said, "I want two more Warthogs out into the open. Get them to unleash all they've got and make sure they don't get taken down. After that, we only have seven left. Order the drivers to drive right for the Fortress after five minutes, and then make sure the gunners know to open fire the whole way. Perhaps the bullets will pierce some of the defenses."  
"What is the purpose of them going on a suicide run, Captain?" the Lieutenant asked.  
"I'm ordering the Launchers to hammer the place for as long as they can while the 'Hogs wait and fire. Then, once the Launchers are drained after firing every several second, the Warthogs will charge forward and try to scatter the surviving Covenant forces."  
Sellers hesitated. "You're sending those men to their deaths, sir."  
Captain Moores nodded quickly and started long and hard at the young Lieutenant. He had a phrase his mentor had taught him. "Lives well-spent, not wasted."  
The Lieutenant nodded back and turned on his mic. The orders were to be given immediately.  
  
0935 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Docking bay of Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek  
  
The last shipment of plasma to arrive from Raiek was a fortunate one for the UNSC forces. Because the cannon mounted underground on Orean didn't have enough plasma to power it to the max, they would have to do with what they had, only about one-third of the recommended amount of plasma to power the device.  
A black-clad Spec Ops Elite was overseeing the shipment. He was only one rank below wearing the beautiful golden armor, and with this mission, perhaps he would be promoted.  
Seated in the co-pilot's chair, Gantu 'Mandamee turned on his radio. He keyed in Zaran 'Gangolee's freq to report that they were about to dock with the Fortress, and that they should open the hatch behind the entrance. Zaran's voice came back through the mic.  
"I assure you, Gantu," Zaron replied, "that you will be able to dock and unload the remainder of the plasma with no trouble."  
Gantu opened his mandibles to talk. Just then, a large shockwave rolled over the freight ship as they moved into the vicinity of the Fortress.  
Ignoring the blast, Gantu spoke into the mic again. "Thank you, sir," he mumbled and killed the link. He turned to the red-clad pilot of the craft and spoke directly to him. "Make sure we get into the docking bay without those filthy humans shooting us down." The Elite nodded and faced back to the control panel.  
Gantu leaned back in his chair. Perhaps things were going his way after all.  
  
The Spartans were dropped off several miles from the compound. Keyes had ordered them to secretly attack from behind, and use the LOTUS bombs to destroy the base, effectively eliminating the only military outpost on the planet.  
James spoke to the pilot. "What will happen to Farr?"  
The pilot responded quickly. "Don't worry about your friend. I'm going to take him back to the battle cruiser that's going to arrive soon and drop him off. There he can be properly treated for his injuries. I'll make sure nothing happens to him."  
As Foehammer circled near the clear patch of forest where they were to be dropped off, the pilot spoke back to them. "I'm thinking you'd better keep a heads-up for the Covenant. According to my scanners, several Grunts, Jackals, and Elites are in the area. I think I'm even getting several Hunter signatures."  
"Thanks," James responded. "We'll keep our eyes open."  
The dropship landed easily where they needed to be. All the Spartans figured the mission would be a quick in-and-out. They were dead wrong.  
Jarrett was first off, followed closely by Alex. Bryce was next, and the Commander came last. All four of them had MA5B assault rifles with full ammo and as many clips as they could carry along with M6D pistols stocked with ammo. The four of them scanned the area, waving their rifles around, trying to locate any enemies as Foehammer lifted off and blasted away. Foehammer was supposed to return to another battleship en route to Orean and pick up more Marines, who were to be dropped off onto the moon.  
Also, the new battle cruiser on its way was supposed to bombard the moon with its extremely useful MAC guns. Those would destroy the base in several seconds. 


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16  
  
0942 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Twelve miles south of Orean Fotress on moon of planet Raiek  
  
The Spartans moved swiftly through the trees, like fluid moving around plants' roots in the springtime. They dispersed through the thick foliage faster than most could follow, tracking any movements, marking areas, watching for any signs of life. The team moved with percison, and yet at a quick pace, trying to make sure they arrived to help Moores and his army in time.  
It was not just succeeding the mission that mattered to the Commander or any of them. No, it was much more. The lust and feel for battle. The fighting ground was their home, and only in battles could they be truly happy.  
After moving two miles into the forest, the team came upon a small group of Covenant warrior Grunts in formation. It appeared as if there was no leader, that they were merely out for a stroll, but the Spartans knew better than this.  
Standing in rows of five each with two columns, the Grunts moved at a liesurely pace through the mist of the jungle. It seemed as if they had no purpose of being out here, as most were equipped with just plasma pistols. Several lucky ones had needlers.  
The Commander gave out a single order. "Fade into the shadows." The team responded instantly. Alex and Jarrett leaped three meters straight up into a tree. James himself ducked behind the foliage. Finally, Bryce rolled behind a rather large boulder jutting from the grassy forest floor.  
Moving with a swagger and a bit of an arrogant 'we're-not-in-danger- anymore' in their gait, the Grunt group came to a sudden stop. "Wait!" the leader cried, holding up his gun. He had heard something. The others instantly responded and halted in their tracks, listening to the sound around them, wanting to be aware of a threat. A pistol shot rang out, and they all screamed in terror.  
Jarrett fired again on James's command. "Aim for the head." His voice crackled through the mic.  
One of the Grunts was taken right through the leg. He screamed in terror and fell. Another shot buried itself in his right arm, knocking him all the way down. He was out. Next to him, three bullet holes formed a neat triangle in another's chest. The Grunt collapsed.  
The two Grunts at the very back screamed in horror at their fallen comrades. The leader shouted for them to stop and duck. One of them shouted and broke away, running from the group. An M6D bullet took him in his faceplate, shattering the glass, allowing methane to bubble from the opening.  
James raised his hand, signaling a cease-fire. Three acknowledgement lights winked on in his HUD. Reaching down, he pulled a Frag Grenade from his belt and took careful aim, his index finger just above the pin. There were only seven of them left. The Commander pulled back his arm further and easily flicked the pin from its place.  
Hearing the pin ping to the ground, the leader turned to see the grenade bounce in front of him. He watched it bounce once...twice...and then explode. The blast sent him catapulting backwards. He landed several feet away, dead. The blast had also taken two other Grunts, leaving only four remaining.  
Seeing as nearly their entire squad had gone down, the four left-over weren't going to stick around and find out what would happen to them. They turned tail and ran. James raised his hand and flicked it forward. Alex and Jarrett fired twice each. They killed three of the four almost instantly.  
Bryce watched the last Grunt as it ran. He switched on the 2X scope on his gun and took careful aim. If they wanted to interrogate this one, they would need him alive. Placing his finger on the trigger, he tensed up and squeezed.  
The bullet took the Grunt through its leg, causing the bewildered warrior to collapse. The Commander sprang from his place and snatched up the fallen Grunt in one fell swoop. The rest of his team was behind him in seconds.  
"State your name!" James commanded.  
The Grunt squealed in surprise but said nothing else.  
"Talk!" The Commander growled, shaking the grunt's body violently.  
"You'll never take me, cyborgs!" he screeched, delirious. Moving the pistol, he aimed it at his own head. James moved to stop him as the Grunt screamed. "Ahhhhhhhh!" He pulled the trigger...and fell limp. He was dead, and James let him drop to the forest floor. He was of no use any longer.  
Signaling to his team, James silently ordered them to proceed further. The lights came on in his HUD, and the deadly team continued towards the Fortress.  
Just several minutes into the trek after meeting the Grunts, James heard a sound. It was not very loud, but just enough to make him hold up his hand, calling a halt. The three Spartans behind him stopped immediately. A normal human wouldn't have been able to hear what they heard, but then again, they weren't normal humans.  
The sound had come from somewhere in the trees. The Spartans waved their assault rifles up, tracing the trees with their muzzles, trying to locate any danger.  
In his HUD, Jarrett could see one heat signature that was not their own. In all his years under the UNSC, he had come to learn the signatures of most Covenant enemies. And he knew his one. Jackals!  
Jarrett aimed into the trees and didn't hesitate. His finger pressed quickly on the trigger and he held it there. The branch he was targeting was pumped full of bullets. The branch gave way, and a screaming Jackal fell from it. He hit the ground with a hard thump and tried to sit up.  
At James's command, Alex pressed his heavy boot into the squawking Jackal's chest, trying to hold him there. The plasma shield shattered against the ground, and his plasma rifle bounced away. Leaning his weight onto the Jackal's chest, Alex grilled him hard. He wanted answers.  
James came up behind them and stared down menacingly. "State your name."  
The Jackal screeched and struggled more.  
"Answer my question and maybe you'll live!" James growled through gritted teeth. "Just maybe."  
After stopping his struggle, the Jackal obeyed. However, this one spoke no English, so the only thing he did was lie there, staring up at his captors. James sighed and turned to Alex. "Kill him. He can't understand me."  
Alex grabbed a hold of James arm, stopping him. "Kill him?" he asked. "Why not just incapacitate him and make it so he's no threat?"  
James turned back to face his teammate. "Are you questioning my orders? Again?"  
Alex stared hard into the visor of his Commander. He had a position, and this time, he wasn't going to back off. "If we stoop to killing him like we did those Grunts, who were also no threat, we're just as bad as he is. Do you want to be like that?"  
Wondering why Alex had picked now to have a sudden conscience attack, James raised his MA5B and pulled the trigger for two seconds, putting twelve rounds into the Jackal's brain. Orange gore spattered on the ground under the Jackal. "Because it's our only recourse. Do you want to wait until they're all firing explosive needles at you, and take shots at them then?"  
Just then, several Jackals leaped from the trees, surrounding the group. "Want to protect them now?" James cried as Alex raised his weapon, shaking his head.  
Around seven of the birdlike creatures came at them, and even more sprang from the bushes. They screeched and yelled, waving their weapons madly, plasma shields protecting their frail bodies. The Spartans would have to stop and fight.  
  
1006 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Ten miles south of Orean Fotress on moon of planet Raiek  
  
A plasma bolt dispelled itself against Bryce's shields. He whipped around, leveled the assault rifle in his hands and pulled the trigger. The bullets pinged harmlessly off the Jackal's shield. In fury, Bryce hurled himself upoin the Jackal, shattering the shield. Once it was down, he rammed the gun into the Jackal's throat, gagging it to death.  
Alex dodged a strike from a plasma pistol and came in under the shield with his own pistol, striking the Jackal on his chin. The Jackal's head snapped back and he stumbled over. With a mighty swing, Alex struck the Jackal again, knocking him out.  
After rolling away from three plasma bolts, James leaped up and turned to face the four Jackals. He pulled out his pistol and hurled it at one of the shields. The Jackal screeched and flung himself backwards, revealing his fleshy body. James leveled the rifle and held the trigger down. The Jackal screamed in pain and collapsed, dead. One of the Jackal's comrades knelt and snatched up James's M6D, holstering his plasma gun. The Jackals behind him opened fire. James's shields took the brunt of the attack, but he did stumble backwards. Pulling the pin on a frag grenade, James hurled it and stood back. The resulting explosion took out one of the Jackals and wounded the one with the pistol. James sprinted forward and snatched the pistol. He fired a bullet into the Jackal's head and then spun to face the one who had been burned. Using his boot, he kicked the underside of the shield. As the Jackal flailed backwards to keep his balance, James raised both guns and fired them, taking the Jackal down in a pool of orange blood. For the last Jackal, James fired at the shield with his assault rifle. When he acted as if it ran out of bullets, the Jackal pulled out his gun and started to fire, lowering the shield. James raised the pistol and killed him with a head shot.  
Alex leaped up a tree and snatched one of the branches. Three Jackals were below him, screeching and squawking in anticipation of the kill. Alex pulled the pin of a fragmentation grenade and let it fall. The Jackals screamed and scattered. When the explosion went off, Alex gripped the tree harder so he wouldn't fall. Below him, one Jackal was tossed against a tree, dead. Another was thrown to the ground, injured. The third escaped with no injuries. Alex leveled his gun at the injured one and opened fire. However, its shield covered the majority of its body, so the bullets bounced harmlessly off. Reluctant, but realizing he had no choice, Alex pulled the pin with his finger from another grenade and dropped it next to the Jackal, who was incinerated as he screamed. The final Jackal looked up, and Alex fired his M6D pistol. The bullets pinged off his shield as the Jackal hid, but when he looked up, Alex was gone. A knock on the head from behind told him Alex had snuck around him. He fell and didn't move. Alex laid a bullet into his head. James was right; if the Spartans didn't kill, they would be killed.  
  
1004 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Outside of Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek  
  
Moores' rockets, and time, had run out. UNSC forces had no missiles left to fire at the Fortress Orean. The time had come to charge the base and hit them hard and fast, even if none of them survived. As long as they could delay the Covenant long enough for the Spartans to arrive, the Earth and Outer Colonies would be saved for now.  
Speaking into his mic to Lieutenant Sellers, Moores put his plan into action. "It is time to charge them, Sellers," he said sternly. "Get into position and go on my mark."  
"Aye aye, sir," Sellers returned. He moved to his left and watched as the brave Marines hopped into their places. The driver looked down at Sellers and smiled. He knew he was going to die soon, but he also knew the reason, and if it was the humans he was saving, it would be well worth the cost.  
The gunner mounted up and waited until the passenger was in position before he signaled to the driver that everyone was ready. The three of them were prepared to lose their lives for Earth.  
Next to them, another driver hopped into position and his gunner and passenger mounted. The two Warthogs were to drive right at the Fortress, targeting the control room and Shade defenses, taking out as much along they way as they could before being destroyed.  
Behind them, the second wave of two was prepping itself. One of the drivers was standing with his gunner, and chelling some of the systems on the Warthog. He wanted to make sure everything was in top condition for the second run.  
Moores's voice crackled through Sellers's mic. "Go!" he commanded.  
The driver gunned the engine. The first Warthog's wheels spun and then gripped the ground, causing it to lurch forward. The second 'Hog moved along as well, following just behind it. Almost immediately, the two gunners opened fire, the bullets raining over the Shade cannons, killing the Grunt operators. The Marines riding shotgun pulled out their MA5B assault rifles and let 'em rip. They were to concentrate on the ground forces, which they mowed right through. Shields of the Elites didn't last long against the powerful bullets ripping into them. They died screaming.  
A Wraith tank moved out from begind the Fortress's entrance tunnel. It lined up the cannon to the advancing Warthogs. The cannon mounted on top of it was collecting plasma energy from the fuel tank and starting to fire it. Within seconds, it was prepped. The Elite inside pulled the firing trigger, launching the gigantic fireball into the air. It whistled through the air and came down at the peak of its flight.  
The first Warthog gunner looked up and spotted the fireball as it arced upwards. He screamed to the driver and pointed upwards. As the ball of plasma came back down, the driver swerved. Behind them, the second Warthog tried to move as well, but the plasma ball landed in a great explosion next to them. The shockwave rolled over them, and the energy caught the fuel tank. In a fiery explosion, the 'Hog was ripped apart, killing all aboard it instantly, burning them alive.  
Moving as fast as they could, the driver of the first 'Hog drove out of range of the Wraith, trying to avoid the deadly plasma balls it fired. The gunner aimed his chain-gun at the command deck. When he was sure his aim would prove true, he pressed down on the trigger and the bullets flew up and shattered the glass windows.  
  
Inside the room, Zaron turned to face out just as the glass in front of his face shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces. He screamed, clicking his mandibles angrily, and flung himself backwards to avoid the hail of bullets that put numerous holes into the room, tearing up computers and other equipment.  
Standon tried to crawl away, but Zaron snatched him up. Moving to one wall, he opened a glass tube made for one. When the glass covering rose, Zaron flung him inside and slammed it shut. From outside, Standon could hear the gold-clad Elite hiss out, "You'll be safe in there, General. Don't want you to accidently get killed in the battle, do I?" He tapped the glass. "That glass is plasma-proof. You'll never get out with human or even Covenant weaponry!"  
With that, Zaron turned and looked at his radar-station Elite. "Where are the humans? How far have they come? And what shattered the glass?" he cried as more bullets flew into the room, killing numerous Elites, Grunts, and Jackals.  
The officer turned and faced his commander. "They are still back in the trees, and they're nearly one-fourth of the way here. It was the human Warthog that evaded the Wraith tank that shattered the glass and is still firing in here."  
Roaring in fury, Zaron turned to his right-hand man. "Get the snipers out there! I want that Warthog gone!" To himself, he muttered, "Why humans use such petty things as glass is beyond my comprehension!"  
Leaving the Covenant to go about their duties, Zaron ran from the room to pursue another goal. He wanted to watch Gantu come in and make sure he made it. He didn't particularly like that one, and if he burned up trying to get in, it would be all the better.  
  
The Covenant dropship hovered around the command deck's defenses. Several Shades and sniper Elite posts were mounted on the front, protected by plasma shields. The dropship steered as close as it could, and dropped the Covenant warriors to their places.  
The last Warthog kept coming. While the gunner reloaded, the Marine riding shotgun slammed a fresh clip in his gun and swept the MA5B assault rifle at the ground troops. Elites, Grunts and Jackals fell at the mercy of the rapid-fire gun. Only Hunters could withstand it.  
As they were nearing the base, a Howler stood in their path. The driver saw him and tried to stop. Alas, it was too late. The Howler opened his mouth and let out an ear-shattering screamed. Tipping over from the mighty shockwave, the Warthog crashed to a stop, killing all board as it turned upside-down. 


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17  
  
1000 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Orbit of Orean in the UNSC battle cruiser Constitution, moon of planet Raiek  
  
"Raiek is finished," the on-board AI Sara said, nodding towards the liquid-plasma covered planet. Her chosen form was that of a tough Amazon warrior. "The Spartans and Marines of the Pillar of Winter took it down, and they've gone to the moon to finish the job."  
Captain Martin of the Consitution battle cruiser of the UNSC nodded towards his eccentric AI and looked towards the tiny moon of Raiek below them. He nudged his hat back and scratched his head. "Moores told me he'd be down there, but he never mentioned Spartans being in on the job."  
"It's just as well they're on Orean, sir," Sara said, swinging her shield impatiently. "They've always been a great help in the war."  
"Aye," Martin responded. "I want you to order the Comm Officer to radio down there and inform Moores that we've arrived and we're ready to fire the MAC guns on his order."  
"Aye aye, sir!" the AI responded. He turned in the direction of Comm Officer Shirley. She faced her and listened to her orders. "Get Captain Moores of the Pillar of Winter on the link for me, and inform me when you have him!"  
"Aye aye, ma'am!" the Comm Officer responded, snapping a salute. Sara returned it as Shirley spun around to face her console. Her fingers rattled across it as she tried to contact the Captain on the moon below.  
"I can only hope we're not too late," Martin mumbled to himself.  
"Sir," a medical officer said sprinting up to him. "We have a new patient sent from Raiek itself. He is allegedly from the Spartans, and Commander James Carser says that no matter what, do not hurt him!"  
The doctor moved aside to reveal a stretcher floating in mid-air, with an Elite laying on it. Martin gasped as the doctor awaited her orders on what to do with the seemingly-Covenant warrior.  
  
1023 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Outside of Orean Fotress on moon of planet Raiek  
  
In dismay, Moores sank back on his knees. The last Warthog had been destroyed, and he had no idea when the Spartans were to arrive. He sighed to himself and looked up. Sellers came up to him and told him more news. They had spotted a freight ship coming in from Raiek.  
The Marines assumed it was a plasma cargo ship, and that it was carrying the last of their supplies. The Covenant would be operating under efficiency levels, but that cannon would be strong enough to destroy Earth even so.  
Just then, a nosie came through on a radio. Moores snatched his link up and listened. "Repeat? Over."  
The voice came back through again. "This is Communications Officer Shirley of the Constiution UNSC Battle Cruiser. I am with Captain Martin, and we are awaiting your instructions for the MAC gun you wanted. Would you like fries with this shake? Over."  
Moores laughed into his mic. "Martin! You've come to rescue my butt again? Over." He laughed again, thankful that the Earth now stood a chance.  
The voice that came back through was not the Officer, but that of Captain Martin himself. "It seems that way, Captain," he said, also laughing. "But we've got bigger things to worry about now. Do you need our MAC guns to aid you, Moores? Over."  
Speaking directly into the mic in a frantic voice, Moores responded, "Affirmative, Captain. However, I want to give my Spartans the chance to start their job. Once they've gotten in and out, I'll let you know. Keep those guns hot. Over."  
"Perhaps you'd like us to fire a warning shot? One that will miss but destroy some ground units? Over."  
Moores thought about it. Since the Covenant had no battle ships to speak of and very little support on the ground, one MAC round might be enough to force the Covenant to give up their Orean Fortress. However, Moores slightly doubted it. But it was worth a try. "Go ahead, Captain," Moores said, "fire away! We're ready when you are. Over."  
"Good. Once we've secured this moon, we're going to haul you and your troops out of there for a well-deserved rest! Over and out!"  
  
Behind the entrance to the Fortress, at the gray walls that arced up and over to form the mouth, the team of four Spartans moved from the maze of trees and arrived upon the base. The rest of the going had been rather simple. Only several Jackals and one Elite to deal with, and they had made good time.  
James came up upon the backside first. He looked up it as his three teammates followed. Sounds of battle could be heard from the front of the Fortrees. Moores and his army were fighting full-force no doubt. But even they would not be enough to take down this Fortress.  
"How are we supposed to get up there, sir?" Jarrett asked, indicating the ten-meter-high roof. "It's not like there's a doorbell."  
"I'm working on that," James responded. "But once we get inside, we have to remember that this Fortress was once a human-owned fortress, so it will vaguely resemble the designs of human bases if the Covenant haven't rearranged too much inside."  
When his team nodded, James looked up again. "I'm going to use those grappling hooks we got." He withdrew his and aimed it upwards. "Let me go up and look around. If it's safe I'll signal for you all to come up. If it's not safe, well...you should know."  
  
Four small blips in the radar was all Captain Moores needed to know that the Spartans had arrived! He had noticed their signal around the backside of the Fortress. Sellers stood beside him, smiling. "Earth is saved, Captain."  
Moores was not so sure. "Of course, Lieutenant. But the chances the Spartans can go in there alone and survive the trip are slim. We need some distractions outside to keep the Covenant from slaughtering them inside."  
"Agreed," Sellers said, wiping sweat from his brow. "But what shall we do, sir?"  
Moores watched the Covenant regroup and pull the vast majority of their forces back into the base. "We've got to draw them out. I'm issuing a change in plans. Have three Warthogs drive towards them, along with the snipers on the hills unloading as many clips into the Covenant Elites as possible. We need to take down the Elites first!"  
  
The grappling hook fired upwards in a puff of CO2. James chelled to make sure it was secure, and then looked towards his teammates. He gave a thumbs-up, and they nodded in return. Bracing himself, he changed the function from shoot to withdraw and pressed down on the trigger. He felt as his boots were lifted from the ground and pulled upwards.  
As James started to rise, Alex took charge. "We need to provide support after the Commander gets up there," he said, indicating the rising figure of their leader. "Make sure you have fresh clips in your guns. I want to have two with assault rifles, and one with a shotgun." He tossed the shotgun to Bryce, who caught it in mid-air. "Bryce, that'll be you. Jarrett and I will go with assault rifles."  
Two acknowledgment lights winked on.  
James reached the top of the Fortress, ten meters straight up. He grabbed the edge and braced his arm. Using all his strength, he lifted his entire body up with his right arm and heaved himself up over the lip. With one swipe, he unhooked the grappling hook and tossed it to the ground, near where his comrades stood.  
In front of him were three Shades facing outwards. A red Elite was standing near the Grunt gunners, issuing orders on where to fire. There were also several Jackals forming a line to protect the elite and gunners.  
However, no one had been expecting a Spartan to come from behind. James raised his pistol and took careful aim. He pulled the trigger and the gun snapped back. Across the roof, the gunner on the leftmost screamed in pain and fell, dead instantly.  
As the Elite and other Grunts spun around, James aimed again. However, he felt something smash into his side. As he turned his head, the Commander felt his boots lifted from the ground once again as he was flung several feet to the left. When he landed and managed to look up, James realized a Hunter had just smashed into his side.  
The side of James's suit was impaled, and a large hole gaped at him. He would need to make repairs. However, now was not the time. The Hunter laughed at him, mocking him, and raised its right arm. The cannon on the end charged and sizzled with plasma energy. A large beam of pure energy exploded from the tip, and ripped up the roof as it came towards the Commander.  
Acting on pure instinct, James dove to the left, landing hard and rolling to a sitting position. He withdrew his assault rifle and let it rip into the red Elite, whose shields activated, but then quickly fell. The Elite collapsed with a scream.  
The gunner James had killed was still lying in the seat. The Commander leaped towards it and knocked the Grunt away. He manned the controls and spun the yoke in front of him. Before the other two gunners knew what hit them, they vaporized in a stream of plasma.  
Turning the gun towards the Hunter, James saw it lying on the ground. Behind it stood Alex with a smoking pistol, pulling Bryce and Jarrett over the edge. He jumped from the gun and moved to meet them.  
"Thanks, General," James said as he approached. "You really saved me."  
Alex let out a small grunt as he hauled his teammated up with a quick yank. "Any time, Commander. Now, what say we get into this Fortress and blow it already?"  
"Agreed."  
Withdrawing a single mine from his pack next to the LOTUS, James placed it in one corner of the roof. When it was in place, the entire team stepped back, and Bryce picked up the remote detonator from the pack. They waited until everyone was out of range, and Bryce hit the button.  
Moments after, the mine sizzled, and then the resulting explosion ripped into the ceiling, tearing a hole nearly the size around of each Spartan. It was the perfect way in. Smiling under their helmets, the Spartans moved to the hole and leaped in one at a time.  
The Spartans were coming! 


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18  
  
1021 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Docking bay of Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek  
  
Zaran 'Gangolee fondled the plasma sword attached to his wrist. It would be his only recourse against those meddling Spartans and their cursed MJOLNIR armor. That armor was the only thing that saved them sometimes, as well as the Covenant shield technology they had stolen!  
Above him, Gantu 'Mantamee ordered the pilot to ease the freight ship in. The pilot obliged and angled the large ship downwards. It cut easily through the air around it, slightly heating up. The pilot flicked a switch, cooling the hull as he looked at his leader. "We're coming in, sir," the pilot murmured. "ETA is two minutes."  
"Good," Gantu said, smiling in the Elite way. "But try to make it one."  
The pilot rolled his eyes and turned back to the controls.  
Zaran faced two Grunts standing next to him. He looked down upon them and frowned. "Have you deactivated the auto-guns yet?" he growled. One of them screamed and hurried off. To the other, Zaran said, "What about you? Have you nothing to do?"  
"Should I, Excellency?"  
That was a mistake. Zaran's plasma sword sprung from its place on his wrist and he sliced the Grunt's head off in a fraction of a second. "Fool," he muttered as the body dropped to the ground and the beam sword vanished.  
Gantu's ship hovered in mid-air as Jackal crews worked in the docking bay to open the doors. They pulled levers and manipulated switches, changing the settings and entering passwords for various codes.  
In moments, the door hissed open. Before their very eyes, the last fright ship carrying what remained of Raiek's liquid plasma supply landed on the pad. They ship seemed to shudder and then snap off, its systems shutting down.  
On one corner of the ship, the hatch sprung open and placed itself neatly on the ground. Spec Ops Elite Gantu 'Mantamee walked from it, his pilot walking shakily behind him. A smile was plastered on the gray-clad warrior as he made his way down the ramp and stood in front of the golden Commander. "Excellency," Gantu said with a bow, "We have brought you the last shipment of plasma."  
Zaran frowned, his armor gleaming in the sunlight of the now-open docking bay door. "Can no return trips be made to the planet called Raiek?" he asked in an irritated tone.  
Gantu shook his head. "Negative, Commander. The planet's surface is much too violent for any more harvesting of the plasma. We will have to fire at Earth with what we've got here. I'm afraid there is no other option."  
With a curd nod, Zaran acknowledged what he had heard. He was not happy, but he knew the officer was correct. Then he decided to assign Gantu to something more exciting. "Perhaps you would like a new post, officer?" Zaran inquired.  
Gantu nodded.  
"Good." He placed a hand on Gantu's shoulder as the two of them walked. "Finish the job!" Zaran shouted to his men. To Gantu, he continued. "There are some fighting humans outside, and they are relentless in attacking their Fortress. If we do not destroy their forces enough so that they leave this area, Fortress Orean will fall."  
Gantu nodded again. "I understand, Excellency," he said, and bowed, armor clicking as he did so.  
Zaran smiled and clapped the warrior on the back. "Excellent!" he said brightly. Then, his features darkened. "Also, understand this..." he said in a whisper, "See that Grunt over there?" Gantu nodded when he noticed the decapitated Grunt Zaran had killed moments before, "If you fail, you're next!"  
With a laugh, Zaran clapped Gantu on the back again and left the room, chuckling low to himself.  
  
1024 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Outside Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek  
  
Farr 'Tenglannee sat in the back of Echo-415, nicknamed Foehammer, as the ship descended through the atmosphere. It held a plethora of Marines, along with a Warthog, dangling outside the ship on wires. There were three other dropships, Echo-416, -417 and -418 following them. Each one had many Marines and one Warthog apiece. However, Echo-417 was bulkier than the rest, and held a Scorpion Battle Tank under its hull for some major firepower.  
Shifting uncomfortably under the suspicious stares of the UNSC Marines, Farr gripped the MA5B assault rifle loaded with ammo in front of him. The briefing officer had issued lots of wepaons to Farr, and had him covered in ammo for the two guns he carried, an assault rifle and an M6D pistol. He also had four fragmentation grenades on his back.  
It seemed as if none of the Marines trusted him. He was, after all, an Elite clad in grey armor, signifying a higher rank than those Minors in blue. He wasn't especially high in the Covenant, but in the rebels he was top-dog. Not many outranked Farr in the Rebel forces.  
Thinking back over the battle, Farr realized it was impossible for any Rebels to outrank him. According to reports given to him by Commander James, all the Rebels had been killed back on Raiek, and that he was the only survivor. Even his little friend Kakay had died on the planet, shot in the head by a Spartan!  
The engines of Foehammer rumbled behind her as she set herself down. Captain Hank Moores and his Lieutenant Sellers came running from the brush to meet them, followed by a squad of Marines.  
"Thank Heaven you made it!" Moores called up in relief.  
  
Jarrett landed first in the dark hallway. He landed silently on his boots and crouched his knees slightly to muffle any sound. It was crucial that they were not heard. Next to him, Alex landed, and Bryce was next. The Commander was the last.  
James motioned with his gun. He pointed to the light switch and activated his assault rifle's light. The end of the gun snapped and a light beam shot from it, sweeping through the dark room. They waved their guns through the pitch black as they moved silently through the tunnel, each staying close to his teammate.  
A flick of James' hand caused the entire group to halt. They had all heard it. A dull thump that resonated through the lonely tunnel, gripping them with fear. They feared that the Flood were going to be upon them.  
Jarrett stood in front of a ventilation shaft. He faced the entire group and shrugged his shoulders at them. "I don't think it was anything to worry about?"  
"What makes you say that?" James asked as he and his team clicked on their weapons' safeties. "We could be in dire peril here!"  
"Maybe, sir," Jarrett responded, but I don't think—" He suddenly stopped. All they heard after that was a muffled gasp.  
None of the Spartans paid any attention to him. They kept sweeping their lights around the hall. One of the beams of light fell to the ground, illuminating Bryce's feet. "What are you doing, Jarrett?" Bryce asked.  
When they turned to look at him, Bryce gasped. James and Alex raised their guns, shining light on Jarrett. The young noncom was being held around six inches above the ground. Behind him stood a combat Flood mutant.  
Further inspection to Jarrett's chest revealed that he had been silenced by three tentacles protruding from his upper torso. Jarrett was daftly gasping for air, trying to stop the loss of blood as the Flood dug its tentacles in deeper. Jarrett could barely move as he tried desperately to bring oxygen to his burning lungs.  
Alex clicked off his safety and aimed the gun. Jarrett's body was flung from the Flood's tentacles. He landed on the far wall, slumping to the ground, dead. Alex watched, and then spun to face the Flood, but the mutant was gone!  
"Where did he go?" Alex asked nervously. The entire team waved their lights around. However, they could not find the warrior. It was like he had vanished into thin air.  
It took nearly two minutes of worrying and frustration for the Flood to appear again. He leaped from the vent and landed on the ground, several feet from the Commander. James stared, wide-eyed, terrified. He cried out and removed the safety, raising the gun. Before he could pull the trigger, the Flood warrior cried out.  
"Leave me behind, will you Commander?" the thing cried angrily, swinging his massive arm at the leader.  
James had only time to gasp out, "Jason—?" as the blow caught him in his chest. He was lifted from the ground and tossed several feet back. He landed hard on the steel floor, his chest aching as he slid to a stop. He was out cold from the attack.  
Jason could hear all the safeties click off as Alex and Bryce raised their assault rifles to fire. A tentacle on Jason's left hand whipped forward and snatched the gun from Alex's hand. Another knocked Bryce's to the ground.  
"I shall not be left behind!" Jason cried and whipped a tentacle at Bryce. Alex leaped in front of it and stopped the deadly monstrosity before he could end Bryce's life. Jason flipped a right-hand tendril at Alex's face, but the lightning-fast Spartan ducked, as the tentacle sailed harmlessly overhead.  
James raised his head and groaned. Reaching down to his side, he picked up his assault rifle and raised it. When it was level with Jason, he pulled the trigger. The bullets caught the Flood in his chest. Howling in pain, Jason turned and sprinted down the hallway.  
  
Outside the croppy outline of Fortress Orean, Foehammer's engines rumbled to a halt as the ship stopped. Her landing gear was out, causing the ship to creak slightly as she touched the grassy ground below her. The pilot inside deactivated all the systems and shut the ship into lock-down mode. She wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon, even if the Covenant tried to mess with her.  
Captain Hank Moores walked up the boarding ramp, ducking under the massive Warthog hanging from the underside. He was met by a small army of Marines in Foehammer, and addressed them all in a raspy voice. He was terrified of what might happen in the coming battle against the Covenant.  
"Attention!" a Colonel barked as Moores walked in. In unison, the Marines rose and saluted. Moores saluted them as he signaled for the soldiers to take their seats once more.  
"Good, Marines! I am delighted that you all made it here from the Constitution in one piece. I am grateful that you are willing to offer your lives to fight for planet Earth!" A cheer rang up. "Also, I am hoping that we can destroy this Fortress's enemies, and end the reign of Covenant influence on this moon for good!"  
The soldiers hopped up and down, whooping at the brave words. It was as they were partying for a brief moment that their end drew nearer.  
  
Several meters from the ship, Spec Ops officer Gantu 'Mandamee raised his head above the bushes. Behind him, his red-clad officer watched as well. "Do you think we'll be able to kill all of them in a charge?" the officer asked of his leader.  
Gantu looked at him with a frown. "I must agree that their numbers are great, but I also think that if we charge in full force, their power will buckle and we can even take them by force if necessary."  
"Of course, sir."  
"I want you to launch a volley of grenades inside the ship to begin with. I watched the other two dropships launch from here several minutes ago, and I think they are long-gone by now. Order three of our most well- aiming Elites to launch a salvo of four grenades into the ship. We need to flush them out!"  
"Yes, sir." The officer stood watching the ship, staring intenty.  
Gantu grew angry. He raised his plasma rifle and struck his officer on his neck. "What are you waiting for?!" he shreiked.  
The officer grunted in pain and took off to find the Elites he would need.  
  
"Let's move the troops from the ship and find out how the Spartans are doing inside the Fortress. If they have been killed, it will be up to us to continue what they started as a team." Moores started to turn, when something whistled past his head.  
He spun around to see three plasma grenades latch onto the back of the ship. All the Marines near it screamed in fear and leaped away. As the blast went off, three Marines howled in agony and were killed instantly, collapsing to the ground.  
Two Marines ran outside and were shot through the heart by plasma fire. "Stay inside!" Moores shouted. "They're trying to lead us outside! Don't go out for anything. Just try to avoid the grenade explosions as best you can!"  
Moores withdrew his pistol and growled to the Covenant outside. They wouldn't take him if he had anything to say about it!  
Outside, the officer raised his claw again. "Prepare for the next salvo of grenades. We don't want to use them too fast. We—" the officer stopped dead, instantly slain. Behind him, Gantu let the body slump the ground and took his place, kicking the carcass aside.  
"Fool. I'll do this myself!" Gantu raised his rifle. "Pull back the grenades! I want three blasts ready to go in! Pull, hold....hold...hold....throw!" In unison, the three Elites threw their grenades at the open hatch of Foehammer.  
The Marines hopped away from the grenade that came flying in. It latched itself onto a seat and exploded. Two more flew in and latched onto a Marine. Moores grabbed the screaming man and hurled him outside, where the soldier exploded in a cloud of blue plasma. "We can't take any more casualties than necessary." He looked outside, seeing the soldier dead.  
"Close the hatch doors," Moores ordered.  
Sellers grabbed the lever and pushed it down. Instantly, the hatch door hissed, starting to close. It moved slowly down, ever downward. Another grenade attached itself to the door, and exploded harmlessly against it. "Speed it up," Moores told the Lieutenant.  
Try as he might, Sellers couldn't get the door to close any faster. A final grenade flew in and attached itself to the bottom of the door. It detonated harmlessly against the floor of the ship.  
Moores grabbed the nearest Marine next to him. "Do you know how to work the radio, soldier?" The Marine nodded, shaking. "Good. Find a helper, get into the cockpit and start radioing Echo-417. They're the most equipped for this job. They can start firing that Scorpion tank cannon as soon as they can see us. Get them on the radio!  
"As for the rest of you," Moores said, turning to face his remaining crew, "find a way to get us out of here! If Echo-417 can't come to the rescue, it'll be up to us to get ourselves out of this mess. We can't take off with the Covenant surrounding us, if we so much as move an inch off the ground they'll shoot the engines and we'll come crashing back down. Better not to risk it."  
  
"Cannons charging at one percent every ten seconds, sir," weapons officer Jeremy said, looking over his shoulder at Captain Martin strapped into the captain's chair.  
"Good," Martin said, looking at the radar station. "Report on the forces around Orean? How is Moores fairing?" he asked with a frown on his face. If anything had happened to Moores down there, he was going to unleash the MAC guns on that Fortress, no matter how much it needed to be preserved.  
Radar officer Hara turned in her seat and faced the Captain. "According to everything we've managed to pull up, sir," she said glumly, "Moores and Foehammer are surrounded by Covenant forces. I detect three other dropships, but they are miles away, picking up wounded Marines several miles south of Orean, sir."  
"What the hell are they doing away from their post? And how many Covenant surround Foehammer?"  
Seeing as the first queston was rhetorical, Hara only answered the second one. "I'm picking up what appears to be around twenty Elites, along with thirty-five Grunts, give or take."  
"How many Marines left in Foehammer?"  
"Unable to tell. The bending metal hull is somewhat distorting our radar."  
"Blast!" the Captain said, slamming his fist onto the soft chair handle. "Those things are doing to us what we planned to do to the enemy and reflect our radar in different directions so they can't be picked up."  
The humor of the situation was not seen by many of the crew. Captain Martin turned to face the weapons officer and spoke loudly. "What percent are the cannons at, officer? We need to fire them at once and help out Moores and his team as quickly as possible."  
Jeremy looked at the console and then back at his captain. "Guns at eighty-one percent, sir," he said, "and now charging more rapidly. About one percent every five seconds. We'll be at full power in a bit under two minutes, sir. Shall I fire anyway?"  
"Just hold it until it's at ninety. Then, aim at where the Covenant are camped around Foehammer in the most clustered region and fire on my mark."  
"Captain!" Hara cried. The captain looked up to face her. "We have a problem! Three Covenant Banshees and a dropship of alien make are in pursuit of Echo-417 and -418. It looks to me as if they're chasing the ships away from the Fortress, but I detect no plasma firing on the ship."  
"Where is Echo-416?" Captain Martin asked gruffly. "They should be helping!"  
"One moment, sir," Hara tapped several buttons and responded quickly. "I can see Echo-416 coming around the corner. It seems to me like they're going to try and intercept the Covenant and fire their weapons at them to give the dropships a chance to escape pursuit. The chin guns of the ones being chased can't swivel around and fire, and if they try to turn, they'll be shot down."  
Captain Martin cursed under his breath. "I suppose they'll use assault rifles to blow those things. The dropships we make have weapons, but the Covenants' are better. Our MA5Bs may be able to destroy the Banshees; the dropship's armor is impenetrable by assault rifles." He was pointing out the obvious, which was not unheard of. "We have to choose between helping Moores and his team first, or those dropships."  
"What do we do, Captain?" Officer Jeremy asked, his face plastered with worry. "We have to help someone quick!"  
"I realize that, Officer!" the Captain growled. He turned to his AI Sara. "I have made a decision, but I want to know if you agree. What do you think we should do?"  
Sara responded without emotion. "If we destroy the Covenant around the dropships, it will save much more Marines than if we help Moores. I say we go for the dropships."  
Martin had clearly chosen the same thing. "Then it shall be done. Jeremy, make appropriate adjustments."  
"Another problem, Captain," Jeremy said, looking intenty as his controls. "Since those target are moving so quickly, it will be hard to get a clear shot. If we miss, it'll take nearly ten minutes to charge the cannons again to have an effective shot, and nearly a half-hour for a full blast."  
Sighing, Martin straightened his back in his seat. Lately, he had been having back pain and he had become ever-aware of his posture. "Any problems with firing at the Covenant warriors surrounding Moores?"  
"Negative, sir," Jeremy responded. "Since the MAC guns were meant to destroy carriers of Covenant make, they are extremely powerful and might destroy Foehammer in the explosion or after-shock. If we don't intervene, the Captain might be able to escape on his own. However, we won't know until it's too late."  
The Captain's brow furrowed. He had to make a decision, and he had to make it quickly. After weighing both options, he had come to a difficult conclusion. It meant dooming one team to failure and saving another.  
"Aim the cannon at the Covenant dropship," he said without emotion.  
He wondered if he would ever see Captain Hank Moores again. 


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19  
  
1036 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Two miles south, and a fourth-mile above Fortress Orean on the moon on planet Raiek  
  
Echo-417's pilot, Aaron Burns, spoke directly to the co-pilot at his side. They had no choice but to drop altitude and release the Scorpion before they went down, which both of them figured was evident.  
"Make sure it's loaded with shells," he said, gripping both joysticks and swinging the ship only a fourth of a mile above the ground. "We want the Spartans to have all the firepower they could possibly use if they find it sometime."  
"Affirmative, sir," the co-pilot said. "Consider it done, sir."  
Aaron turned back to his controls. The Covenant were right behind him. They had not fired a single shot yet, but the humans feared the worst for their safety if help didn't come soon. Maneuvering the dropship with precise movements, Burns edged around a large tree (larger than any on Earth) and came back to a level position. As he did this, a plasma bolt suddenly lanced by the ship. The Covenant had finally decided to open fire! It couldn't have come at a worse time.  
"Drop the Scorpion!" Burns called.  
In the back of the dropship, several Marines aimed their assault rifles at the ropes holding the Scorpion up. Controls for releasing a monstrosity such as the tank had been jammed in entry onto the planet, and the only way to drop it now would be to shoot the cables securing it to the underside of the dropship.  
Several bullets bounced into the skin of the Scorpion and richocheted, completely missing their target, but enough connected with the cable nearest them to cause it to snap. The Scorpion-class Main Battle Tank shuddered as it tipped sideways towards the broken cable. Marines with fresh clips moved forward, replacing the old, and switched off their safeties.  
More bullets cut into the second rope, snapping it in seconds. They did it in a diagonal pattern, so the Scorpion would have more of a chance of landing upright. As they took aim again, a bolt of energy from the Shade mounted under the Covenant ship came straight at them. Two Marines were instantly disintegrated in the blast, and a third was severely wounded. He screamed and howled in pain as others came to his rescue, filling up his wound with the self-healing bio-foam used to stop bleeding quickly.  
The tank was suspended by only two cables. A third group of Marines came up and fired. The third cable snapped. From the little support it had, the Scorpion tipped sideways, only held by one cable attached to its front- left tread. It dangled there pathetically.  
A final group came forward, but before they could fire, the large weight snapped the final cable, and the Scorpion plummeted from the dropship, heading down towards the ground. The Marines watched as it crashed through the trees and landed with a mighty thump on the ground below.  
The tank was freed! Watching with awe, the Marines saw the bent and snapped trees sitting around the fallen Scorpion. It seemed like the tank sat nestled in its place, without a care in the world.  
"We've done our job, team!" Burns called back. "Those Spartans will use the tank if they need it. Now it's time for us to shoot down the Banshees!"  
The co-pilot looked up. "Do you think we'll be able to shoot down the dropship?" he asked nervously.  
Burns frowned. "I can only hope."  
  
As Captain Moores kept the Marines from completely losing it, a figure stepped up behind him. From the shadow it cast, he could tell the thing was much larger than any of them. It had the distinct shape of a Covenant warrior. Forgetting everything he'd seen before, Moores whirled around and pushed the gun at the Elite's chest.  
Farr grabbed the gun and redirected it at the side of the ship before it went off. He growled at the captain and yanked the gun away. "Calm yourself!" Farr roared. "I am the last surviving Covenant rebel."  
Moores frowned. "Why should I believe this rubbish about rebels?"  
"Because you have my word that Commander James of the Spartans will confirm my validity. He and I worked as a team to destroy the Raiek compound, and now I'm ready to help your Marines in any way I possibly can."  
"You would fight and die for our cause?" Moores asked suspiciously.  
"I am prepared to do so," Farr answered emotionlessly.  
"Then I have something I would like you to do." The thirty-four-year- old Captain pulled the powerful Elite rebel general down to face him, and whispered into his tiny ears the plan he had in mind.  
  
Gantu watched as the doors snapped shut. He cursed under his breath and pointed at one of the Grunts. "I want you to go to the ship and open the hatch."  
The Grunt screamed and covered his mask with his needler. "No, Excellency! They will kill me for sure!" Before the Grunt could speak another word, Gantu struck him across the head. The Grunt fell to the ground, moaning.  
"Anyone else want to disobey me?" he roared in fury. "Now, I need an Elite partner for my plan. Anyone willing to oblige?"  
An Elite named Kamze 'Jagaron stepped forward, lighting the plasma sword attached to his wrist. "I am here to serve you, Excellency! What is your command, I shall do! What is your bidding, will be carried out! What are your first orders?" Kamze kneeled at his higher officer's talon.  
Looking down, pleased, Gantu ordered the soldier to stand. Kamze willingly stood and saluted once again. "I am grateful you are willing to offer your services especially under my command." He turned to the group. "Will the Grunt named Loloy come under the command of this fine Elite warrior?"  
Loloy came forth, quivering with fright. "Yes, Excellency!"  
Gantu pointed towards the dropship. "I want you to get over there, help your new commander open the door, and bust in. You both may lose your lives in the coming battle, but if we can crush the humans, it shall be well worth it."  
Kamze saluted, and scooped Loloy up in one swift swipe. "Come along, Grunt."  
They moved cautiously out into the open. The two of them could hear a hissing noise, and they looked towards the dropship. There were three slits opening on the back of the ship. Three nozzles came out. According to Kamze's memory, they were M6D pistols, often carried by UNSC Marines. He cried out and threw himself to the ground as the three guns fired at once.  
A bullet hole formed in Loloy's right leg. He screamed aloud in pain, and howled louder as a second bullet struck his left arm. A third bullet went through his chest, killing him instantly. His crumpled body fell and landed hard on the grass underfoot.  
Kamze ran and launched himself at the door. With a quick swipe, he grabbed a nozzle of one pistol and pulled it. The surprised Marine inside cried out as the gun was crushed in the Elite's claws. Using all his strength, Kamze removed the second and third pistols and crushed them as well, throwing them against the bulkhead and growling in warning.  
The seasoned combat warrior pressed himself against the bulkhead, trying to avoid any more shots. But he did not expect a fellow Elite warrior coming from the side of the ship and snapping his neck in one fell swoop. Kamze could not move his legs as his slain body fell to the ground. Once there, he tried to move his limbs, but the connection was cut, and the Elite above him stepped on his face, ending his life.  
Farr jumped back around the dropship so the Covenant would not spot him. He moved around to the left side and watched as a gray Elite, dressed much like himself, yelled at his troops when he noticed his Elite on the ground, several feet from the Grunt.  
Using bushes and shrubbery for cover, Farr moved quickly behind the Covenant, unseen. He easily leaped the four meters straight up and landed on the branch of a tree, leveled the shotgun in his claw at the enemies below him.  
As the first shot rang out, Gantu snarled and threw himself into the bushes for cover. A Grunt behind him screamed as his methane pack ripped open, bubbling up and onto the ground. Beside him, an Elite howled out as another shotgun shell took him straight through the head.  
Two Jackals raised their shields and rammed them in the ground. Behind those, three more Jackals planted shields next to the pair. In the bushes, a sixth Jackal gave up his shield to protect Gantu from enemy fire.  
Howling out in fury, Farr hurled a grenade down. It went over the shields and flushed out several screaming Jackals and Grunts. As it went off, the Elites took the punishment of the shrapnel with their shields and had now located Farr. They raised their guns and fired several plasma shots.  
The branch under Farr's clawed talons snapped as a plasma shot connected with it. Farr tossed up his hands and fell from his perch, landing hard on the ground below. He was instantly unconscious.  
Gantu kicked his body until Farr rolled onto his back. "Fool of an Elite. Thought he could kill my squad! I'll teach the humans not to mess with the Covenant!"  
  
1047 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Inside Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek  
  
Flashing and beeping, the device rested nonchalantly against the sheet metal door blocking the Spartans' way. The beeping began to grow faster and faster and faster, until it was beeping and flashing nearly three times a second. Just then, the tiny device released its fuel into the air and caused a spark. The resulting explosion ripped through the device, tearing it to pieces, and blew a two-foot hole in the thick metal door.  
Alex stepped forward and pulled off the remains. He popped them off and flung what was left of the device to the ground, disgusted at the puny size of the hole. "If only they made more powerful models," he mumbled and peered through the newly-made hole.  
The Commander came up behind them and placed a hand on General Alex's shoulder. "A second blast might take it down. But I think we can save our explosives and pry it open. Our enhanced strength will allow us to bend even that."  
James and Alex placed their hands on the hole and pulled with all their might. Bryce stood behind them, his rifle sweeping around the hallway, keeping watch. In moments, the door's metal began to creak as it bent and snapped. The two Spartans worked furiously to get it, and the door eventually snapped and opened with a start.  
Alex moved through first, drawing his assault rifle, followed by James and Bryce. Surprisingly, there were lights on in this room, and they moved their guns about it, watching for any threats. Bryce looked down into a deep crevice in the room and spotted thirteen or fourteen Marine bodies lying on the floor. Each one was dead. It looked as if they were being stock-piled here. None of the Spartans knew what for.  
Just as they thought this, the ceiling vent above them gave way. As it clanged to the floor, hundreds of infection form Flood scuttled through it, moving swiftly across the ceiling. They used their combined strength to hold a Marine along with them, move across to the pile, and dump it along with the rest. It didn't seem as if any of the grotesque Flood had noticed the Spartans.  
Then, it seemed as if they all noticed at once. Their bodies shifted in unison and they came charging at the three remaining Spartans. James raised his hand and Alex and Bryce leveled their guns. James held them, held, held..."FIRE!"  
All at once, the three assault rifles went off. As one creature exploded, it seemed to cause a chain reaction that destroyed several of his comrades. But it looked to them like the more they killed, the more came to take their place. There was just no stopping the determined monsters.  
Determined? Yes, James thought. Smart? No. He pulled a grenade from his pack and watched as the Flood crawled all over a fuel tank not far from their position. "Drop back!" James cried and watched as his two men pulled back. "Fire in the hole!" James pulled the pin and hurled the grenade with all his strength. It flew several feet and bounced twice on the ground. The resulting explosion tore into the metal of the fuel tank, and the entire thing exploded.  
The Spartans leaped through a door. Just as it snapped shut, the explosion knocked against it.  
"It seems like the Flood are here as well as the Covenant," Bryce said, slamming a fresh clip into his gun.  
"And it seems like they need human hosts to infest," James said. "We've gotta blow this place before they decide to use that cannon."  
"But how?" Alex asked. "They're bound to have the room with the weapon surrounded with Covenant warriors. I don't see any way that we can take it out without risking our lives."  
James looked at his comrade. "We're already risking our lives," he mumbled grimly, "but we might as well take the safe route. Now, there has to be a place where they load the plasma into the cannon. I think this because Orean's core isn't pure plasma. It has a mix of iron, nickel, and cobalt in it as well. In fact, it's only two percent plasma."  
"In other words?"  
"In other words," James continued, "they have to have an area somewhere below the cannon where they load plasma into the device. That's the only way the weapon would have enough time to concentrate the energy to fire it out in a blast form with the effect that they want."  
"Hmm, you sure listen at the Academy," Bryce muttered.  
James shouldered his weapon and moved down the hall, beckoning his men. "Let's move!"  
  
1041 Hours, Augusat 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ UNSC battle ship Constitution in orbit around Orean, moon of planet Raiek  
  
"Sir, a Banshee following the dropships just went down!" Hara cried from her seat. "Also, I'm picking up a Scorpion resting in the forest on the ground. It looks as if the humans might escape from this one, Captain!"  
Martin swiveled in his chair. "What of Moores and his Marines?" he asked. "Are they okay?"  
Hara tapped several buttons on her console, watching intently. "The hidig Covenant group have lost some of their numbers, sir, but they've not moved from their position. It looks as if they're more spread out now. One of them seems about ready to charge. Looks like an Elite, sir."  
Captain Martin looked at Jeremy. "Aim for the Elite she just described, and fire the main MAC gun at ten percent! We don't want to detonate the whole moon."  
  
On the ground, Gantu could stand it no longer. He raised his hand and three Elites moved to the bushes. "Fire on my count.....NOW!" The three of them fired in unison. Plasma bolts slammed violently into the dropship, causing it to rock back and forth. "Get some grenadiers up here!"  
Three Grunts jumped up and waited for their signal. When it was given, they cried out and hurled their grenades. The explosion shook Foehammer to the brink of destruction. It was then that the hatch began to hiss open again.  
"Fire at them!" As the hatch opened, Marines came pouring out. However, they were easily met by plasma fire and dropped like bricks, screaming in agony. But more and more of them came rushing from the ship, and one managed to break through.  
He tossed his body onto Gantu and aimed his gun at the leader's head. A swift blow knocked the man to the ground. His gun went off as it hit, catching one of the Grunt grenadiers in the head, putting him down for good.  
Gantu was losing his patience. His raised his plasma rifle and hurled himself into the open. As Marines charged at him, he fired off his gun, killing them on the spot. Countless bodies fell around him, dropping like lead weights. Not one soldier could get within two feet of the insane Elite as he continued to fell more and more of Moores' men.  
It was then that he heard a rumbling above him. Each and every soul alive stopped fighting and looked skyward. A blue glow was emitting in the sky, even brighter than the daytime. It was growing larger and larger. The ground below them was starting to shake. As Gantu looked into the air, the blue light grew so big that he could barely keep his eyes open.  
Then, the unthinkable happened. The light was actually a super- concentrated chunk of magnetic air molecules, sent hurtling into the ground. Sounds twenty times louder than thunder echoed down as the rocklike blast slammed into Orean's thicker-than-Earth's crust. Gantu's outline could barely be made out as he screamed aloud, completely engulfed. When he raised his arm to start to move, his body completely dissipated.  
Shockwaves from the MAC gun blast rolled over both sides. Countless Covenant soldiers were picked off their feet and hurled away, some nearly thirty feet. Almost every Marine was back inside the safety of the dropship. They had retreated the second they heard the rumble.  
The very dropship itself was lifted from the ground and tossed onto its back. The Marines inside screamed aloud as they rolled over each other in agony, trying to keep from crushing one another.  
Farr 'Tenglannee's body was literally picked from the ground and hurled several hundred feet away. In the swirling inferno, his eyes fluttered open and he flailed his limbs as he tried to stabilize himself in the whirling shockwave. He was set back onto the ground several hundred feet from where he lay before, rubbing his aching limbs.  
Inside the overturned dropship, Moores massaged his head and checked his troops. There were only seventeen besides himself and his Lieutenant left. "All right, men," he called. "The Covenant were completely wiped in the blast. Thanks to the MAC gun, which is what I must assume that blast was."  
"What should we do now?" Lieuteant Sellers asked, standing up shakily.  
"We need to contact the other dropships. I want this team picked up, and I want Sellers and another soldier with me. One willing to die getting me to Fortress Orean." A Sergeant stepped forward. His dogtag read "Sgt. Jeffery Lombard." He was as capable a candidate as any.  
"Good," Moores commented, patting the soldier on the back. "The two of you need to arm yourselves with whatever weapons you can find, be it human or Covenant weaponry." The Captain bent down and scooped up a fallen shotgun. "The three of us ride to Fortress Orean now!" 


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20  
  
1056 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Control room of Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek  
  
Zaran paced angrily. It had been nearly an hour since he'd sent Gantu on the mission to kill the Captain and his crew, and so far none of the team had responded. For all they knew, the battle for Orean was over!  
Lying neatly in his glass tube, General Standon only twitched when Zaran came over and slammed his claw against the glass. "Comfortable, General?" The General was silent. "Better get used to it, because you're going to be in there for a long time!" The Elite's voice was merely a whisper through the extremely thick glass seperating the two of them.  
Turning to one of the only two Hunters in the room, Zaran whispered, "Make sure he doesn't get away. If he escapes, it's you I'm coming for." Although it seemed ludicrous that a creature of the Hunter's size would obey a comparatively puny-looking figure like an Elite, the Hunter nodded obediently, standing near the glass tube holding the General prisoner.  
It was then that the only door leading into the room began to clang loudly. Zaran spun to face it, his eyes opening wide with terror. He pointed to an officer. "Seal the doors! Don't let them through, officer!" The officer immediately obeyed. Standon could hear the hiss of more metal doors as obvious reinforced coverings closed behind the already-standing sheet metal door. As the General figured, one couldn't be too careful. Alas, the banging only grew softer.  
Seconds turned into minutes, as the clanging and banging grew louder and louder as more time passed.  
Suddenly, the door bent inward in the very middle about two inches. A second ring and another part of the metal bent. Within thirty seconds, nearly twenty impressions had been made. The next attack happened, and a grotesque arm slammed through the metal. The Covenant could tell right away it was an arm of an Elite controlled by the Flood, taken over and turned into a combat form.  
The Elite removed his arm, and more attacks came on. The door shuddered and fell with a crash. In from the now-open doorway, countless infection form Flood poured into the room, screeching loudly. Zaran raised his arm and gave the order. "Fire!"  
Every soldier in the room turned and fired their various plasma weapons. However, it seemed as if the plasma bolts had little effect on the little buggers. They only popped after several shots, and only the weaker ones. Stronger ones shrugged off the damage and kept up a relentless pace. Plasma was almost useless against Flood, as only bullets had much of an effect.  
Zaran was beginning to lose hope. The infection was done, and carrier forms came, large, bloated, vile creatures nearly twice the size of any human. As they staggered through the door, a single plasma shot caused them to fall. The resulting explosion released dozens more infection forms into the air, and they screamed and latched onto Elites, Jackals, and Grunts alike. Zaran moved to a glass case and shattered it. He grabbed the human MA5B assault rifle inside it and began to fire at the infection forms.  
One of the Hunters roared in fury, squishing an infection form under his tank foot. He raised his arm cannon and was about to fire when an infection form got to his unprotected flesh. It drilled into the orange flesh, injecting it with the Flood poison. The Hunter collapsed as its armor began to rattle furiously.  
Standon, protected within his plastic prison, could only watch as countless Covenant warriors fell to the might and relentlessness of the Flood; The attack never seemed to stop. He saw Zaran pull two plasma grenades from the wall and hurl them towards the Elite combat form. It only shuddered slightly, and kept its relentless forthcoming.  
One of the combat forms, an Elite, charged forward and slammed its fist against the glass. The covering cracked under the force. With the second blow, it cracked even more heavily. A third blow and it nearly shattered. Just as it was about to strike again, a Covie warrior shot it, killing it instantly.  
Zaran looked upward, spotting a vent shaft. He leapt up, ripped off the cover, and crawled through it, replacing the cover. He was cursed if he was going to let any Flood follow him. He crawled as fast as he could through the shafts.  
Below, the Flood finished off the last of the Covenant. Infection forms gathered up the bodies, including two Howlers ripe for infesting, aided by combat forms. Within moments they were gone, forgetting all about Standon in his lonesome plasma prison, all alone in the control room.  
  
The loud whine of dropship engines signaled the arrival of three Echo Pelicans coming in-bound on the weary and shaky Marines. Captain Moores stood at the head of their little group. A dropship carrying a Warthog jeep load came first. The cables holding the jeep in place released, and the M12 LRV (light reconnaissance vehicle) crashed to the ground with a thump.  
Moores jumped towards the vehicle, signaling Lieutenant Sellers and Sergeant Lombard to follow. The two of them instantly obeyed, shouldering their assault rifles and sprinting towards the lone vehicle.  
Three Echoes touched down, and one of the dropships had a rear door spring open with a hiss. The Marines sighed with relief, welcoming the dropships. They moved quickly on-board and took their seats. Some were forced to stand in the overcrowded transport, but it was all right with them. All they were concerned about was getting off that moon alive. If all went according to plan, none of them would have to return ever again.  
It was at that moment that Farr 'Tenglannee came from the bushes. He lumbered towards one of the dropships, which engines shut off. The other two were waiting up in the air, hovering in place. One Marine drew his pistol and fired. Farr's shields took the blast and instantly recharged.  
Captain Moores screamed out and jumped in front of Farr. "Don't shoot him! He's a rebel Elite working with the UNSC now! If not for him, the Marines and I of Foehammer would have been killed long ago."  
Speaking of Foehammer, the old dropship was being righted with the help of around fifty burly Marines. The team just lifted the entire thing right over. It was an incredible sight that no one would believe unless they saw for themselves.  
The challenging Marine growled at Moores, but he offered no comment to a superior officer, since he was only a Colonel. However, another Marine, a Private, completely lost it in front of the imposing Elite warrior. He aimed his weapon and screamed, pulling the trigger. His only words were, "Die, Covenant scum!"  
Farr moved like lightning. He grabbed Moores and pushed the man behind his body. His shields took the brunt, and Farr snatched a shotgun from another officer. He leveled it at the Private and fired. The blast knocked off the man's left arm. His weapon clattered to the ground as he screamed in agony. A second blast from Farr caused his head to shatter.  
It was then that all chaos broke loose. Two Marines, both of whom friends of the first victim, opened fire. Farr dodged easily and put them both down with two shots. Although Farr knew that these humans were not to be killed, Elites were born and bred killing machines. It was going against his nature to stop attacking anything that moved besides his own forces, but after working with the Covenant for so long, he found it hard to control his rages. And now he was in a full-fledged Elite rage. Nothing and no one could stop him.  
"Don't shoot!" the Colonel cried. "You might hit our own!"  
A Marine hurled himself at Farr as another came up behind him. The enraged Elite snatched the man out of mid-air and tossed him with a flick of his wrist into another. Three Marines came at him, and Farr shot one in the face, the second in the leg, causing the man to collapse, and the last through the heart.  
Another brave Marine leaped onto Farr's back. Farr reached behind him and plucked the man off, tossing him to the ground. He pressed his taloned- claw into the man's face and squashed him with little effort.  
Only when a Marine rolled into Farr's legs from behind did they begin to gain the upper-hand. Farr sprawled onto the ground, and another soldier grabbed his right arm. A second took hold of his left. The warrior slashed the man across the face. As Farr tried to move, Captain Moores leaned on the Elite's feet and pressed his gun into the warrior's chest. "Move and you die!"  
Farr instantly froze. The anger that once flowed through him, propelling him to kill, was draining away. He was becoming less of a danger as each second passed, and within half a minute, he had completely calmed. The humans agreed to let him up after a minute's time.  
"You realize this will completely ruin your image?" Moores asked the Elite in private as they watched the other dropships take off into the air. The only humans left on the ground were Moores, the Lieutenant, and the Sergeant. Farr was the last being left behind. They were alone, each stocked with ammo, and ready to begin their journey to Fortress Orean. "You killed seven Marines and injured three more, Farr. It will be hard to make up for that."  
Their plan was to enter the control room, find the panel for the auto- cannons installed throughout the base, and turn them on the Fortress itself. The humans knew of the auto-cannons since the Fortress was human- made.  
"I understand this," Farr grunted to the Captain, "but it was like I couldn't stop myself. No matter how much I tried to contain my anger, I couldn't."  
"Perhaps you should save that kind of energy for the Covenant and the Flood."  
"Agreed, Captain."  
In the air, the four dropships took off. Foehammer itself contained seven dead soldiers and three seriously wounded.  
The Lieuteant manned the Light Anti-Aircraft Gun gun in the back. The Sergeant took the wheel, and so Moores rode shotgun. Farr 'Tenglannee took the only place left. He sat in front of Sellers, right in front of the LAAG gun, and grabbed the weapon's bottom. With one press of the pedal, the wheels of the Warthog grabbed the dirt, and the jeep was speeding off through the rough terrain, in the direction of Fortress Orean.  
  
The Warthog rumbled to a stop directly in front of Fortress Orean. Surprisingly enough, the team of four met no resistance. From the surface, it appeared that the entire Fortress had been abandoned. However, all four of them knew that was not to be expected once they got deeper inside.  
Captain Moores pointed straight up. "That's the control room to the structure right there." He said, watching as the glass remnants sprinkled lightly to the floor in the aftermath.  
Farr walked around the side of the base after hopping from the Warthog and called out to the Captain. "Moores! I think I've found an entrance, sir!" Moores came jogging over with Sellers and Lombard at his heels.  
"Great work, Farr!" Moores said and gripped the ladder. "The rest of you come up after me. Wait until I give you the okay sign," he said as he ascended. At the top, he found the sealed door and spun the lock. The door popped open with a tiny hiss and Moores stepped inside.  
Amidst the carnage, Captain Hank Moores couldn't find any Covenant bodies. It looked like they had been all taken. Looted perhaps. But as Moores walked, he heard the crash of glass and spun to glass tube on the far wall.  
General Standon came feet-first through the glass and landed, covered in shards, on the ground, breathing heavily. He smiled when he saw the Captain and snatched a plasma pistol from the wall. "Nice to see you!" he said and aimed the gun. With one blast, he knocked Moores's shotgun to the ground.  
Then, the General reached up and flipped a switch. Moores watched as the broken windows sealed with a thick metal. The door he had come through slammed shut. Outside, Farr cried out and tumbled from the ladder, struck by the closing motion. Finally, the ventilation shaft Zaran had escaped through sealed shut.  
"Too bad old Zaran didn't think of this little switch here!" Standon laughed. "Pity for him. He's probably dead by now! And you'll soon join him!" Standon tossed the gun to the ground and hurled himself at the Captain.  
"Can't believe you're still alive," the Captain muttered. He moved back, bent his knees into a crouch, and swung his fist in a wide arc. The blow caught Standon on the side of his head, causing the nearly-mad General to sprawl backwards and land hard on the metal floor. "I learned a lot at the Academy," Moores told him matter-of-factly.  
Standon stood and wiped his cheek. There was a small cut on it, and blood was just beginning to flow from it. The General now leaped forward and aimed a kick at Moores's head. The Captain ducked underneath as Standon sailed over and landed on the far wall, feet-first. Using all his force, he pushed off again and came flying back at Moores with his arms crossed in front of his mouth. This attack caught the back of Moores's knees, causing him to cry out in pain and collapse. Standon landed in a heap behind him.  
In a flash, Moores spun around and delivered a punch to Standon's head. The fierce General ducked, but the blow caught him on his forehead. He gasped out and fell backwards.  
"I always was better than you!" Moores said and stood. He picked up the fallen plasma pistol and aimed it at Standon's head. "Surrender, or you die, General," Moores said, leveling the gun.  
Standon kicked upwards, knocking the gun into the air. Moores jumped to get it, but the General leaped up and knocked him out of the way. Standon snatched the weapon in mid-air and reversed the positions. Moores tried to sit up, but the wind was knocked out of him. He moaned as he tried to lean on his elbow.  
After turning the situation in favor of himself, Standon aimed the weapon at Moores' head, just as the Captain had done to him. "Now, it's you that shall surrender, Captain," he growled between gritted teeth. "It's time I finally defeated you."  
Moores's hand slowly inched towards his boot. As he did this, he talked to the General to distract him. "You know I was always better than you at the Academy. You were never able to keep up with me!"  
"Liar!" Standon screamed, pressing further onto the trigger, threatening to fire it. "You cheated each time you beat me! Every time we competed you always got your way! You're a spoiled little—"  
The tiny pistol went off. Moores had drawn it from its place in his boot. He had fired it quickly, and the bullet lodged itself in Standon's left leg. He screamed in pain, stopping in mid-sentence, and staggered towards the ground. The plasma pistol fell from his hand and clattered to the floor. Moores stood and kicked the weapon away. He leveled the pistol and fired again, this time into the General's right arm. He howled in pain again and fell backwards. His eyes slowly closed.  
Captain Hank Moores allowed his weapon to fall to the ground and stumbled over to a control panel. He read over the console, searching for the lock-down controls. He then remembered they were on the wall, where Standon had activated them. As he turned to push the lever back up, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He looked left and saw Standon come flying through the air.  
In one swift move, the Captain ducked, and Standon sailed over him, landing hard on the ground past his body. Moores was up again in two seconds and kicked his boot lightly but firmly on the plasma pistol, creating a catapult effect. The weapon bounced right into his hand. He leveled the gun as Standon stood again.  
"You lose again, General!"  
As Moores tried to fire the gun, Standon jumped under it. He slid across the floor, past the surprised Captain, and came to rest next to Moores's shotgun. The Captain turned around and tried to aim. However, The General was too fast; he raised the weapon and fired it. The bullets flew in every direction. Two of them grazed Moores's left arm. He howled in pain as Standon flung himself headlong at Moores.  
Acting quickly, the Captain leaned to the side as Standon went past. Grabbing the General's legs, he twirled around, released, and heard the sickening crunch of bone as Standon's skull came into contact with the steel wall. Bone cracked in half and sliced into Standon's brain. He was dead before he even slid to the ground. Blood leaked from his open wound, flowing freely onto the floor.  
Moores grabbed the lever and switched it. As soon as the door was unlocked, Farr 'Tenglannee leaped through, followed by Lieutenant Sellers and Sergeant Lombard. The three of them looked around, saw Moores, saw the General, and relaxed.  
"What happened?" Lombard asked.  
"The General went insane," Moores said, pointing to the limp carcass. "I killed him, but I don't feel any happier. I just feel sick inside."  
"That's to be expected," the Sergeant replied emotionlessly.  
"Are we going to turn the auto-cannons on the fortress?" Farr asked, eyeing the control panel. He knew exactly what button to press, and it would give him great pleasure to have the honors.  
"No," Moores responded, watching the radar output. "I think the Spartans can handle this one." 


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21  
  
1103 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Cannon loading room of Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek  
  
Two red-clad Elites stood up on the rafters, commanding the Covenant warriors below them. They were relentless. If their troops didn't obey instantly, the unfortunate being was slain right there on the spot, no questions asked. It was on the orders of General Zaran 'Gangolee that no mercy was to be allowed. Fortress Orean was in danger of being invaded by the Flood, the humans, and not to mention those pesky armored cyborgs that were already inside the base, but only Prophets knew where!  
Zaran stood higher above the rest, watching as his warriors carried out their tasks. If anything threatened the area he was in, he'd be gone faster than the blink of an eye. There was an evac ship waiting just below him should the cyborgs attempt an attack. He would flee the planet, and take over another colony for himself.  
As he was lost in his thoughts, unbeknownst to any of the Covenant, the pesky cyborgs themselves slid noiselessly through a small door halfway up in the room. They moved silently through its threshold and kept their weapons' safeties on. Their backs were pressed against the wall behind them, lest they make noise and alert the Covenant of their presence.  
The Commander communicated with a combination of hand signals. He pointed at Bryce, then at a ladder he had spotted, and then moved his hand upward. For Alex, he pointed at the General, and indicated he move down a ramp not far from their location. His two soldiers understood and responded immediately. Bryce sprinted silently over to a ladder several feet away. Without a sound, he leaped the three meters straight up and landed easily on the catwalk above. He took out an M6D pistol and shouldered the weapon, moving quickly along the walkway.  
Alex had a different approach. He moved down a ramp and around a corner. There were several Covenant ahead of him, so he jumped silently into a small corridor to his left. There he would hide until his skill was needed.  
As for James himself, he moved over to the edge of the chamber, staying out of sight. He was the distraction. If anyone could pull it off, the Commander himself could. He looked upward, spying a steel beam suspended over a large group of Covenant warriors. It appeared that the beam itself had once served as a bridge for moving from one catwalk to the other. Since the Elites needed no beam to move about, it was just left hanging.  
The room itself was essentially a pit, over which a network of catwalks was installed. The room had originally been used for storage, but the Covenant had turned it into their work place for loading a large pillar in the middle that ran straight up, probably feeding the cannon situated on the moon's surface above them. "It must have been raised after they'd slipped inside.  
James raised his M6D pistol and switched to the 2X scope. He looked upwards and saw the ropes supporting the heavy-looking metal beam. In four quick shots, he had snapped all four ropes. The beam came crashing down.  
A large container filled with liquid plasma was struck first as the beam plummeted. It tipped on its side as Grunts screamed, rushing to try and keep it from falling. However, the weight was much too great, and the whole thing tipped over.  
Grunts and Jackals howled in fear as they scattered away from the large container. As the Commander watched, he saw something above him. His head snapped up, and he saw the two red Elites come flying towards him. He raised his assault rifle. The ammo counter read: 49. Regardless, James aimed the rifle at the closest one and pulled the trigger.  
Bullets bounced harmlessly off the plasma shield for several seconds. Then, the system failed, and the bullets ripped into the Elite's body as he landed. He screamed aloud and fell. The second Elite lit his plasma sword and swung. James leaped to the left and hurled a plasma grenade he had stolen from a Grunt several minutes before. The Elite cried out in dismay as the grenade attached itself to his back...and went off.  
  
1107 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ UNSC battle ship Constitution in orbit around Orean, moon of planet Raiek  
  
"Captain," the communications officer called out, "we've lost contact with Captain Moores and the remaining Spartans. We think they have been killed down there."  
Martin turned in his chair and faced the officer. "Are you positive?" he asked.  
"Like I said, we only think—"  
"I don't want you to think," the Captain snapped, "I want you to know. It's been a long time since we fired the MAC gun. And I think that if we concentrate on Fortress Orean, not only will we destroy the Covenant's base of operations, we also might detonate the planet with the small amount of plasma inside the core."  
Unbeknownst to the Captain, the amount of plasma had sky-rocketed from two percent plasma, to nearly forty-five percent. An MAC hit would surely destroy the planet with that amount.  
"Sir, are you sure that's wise?" Hara asked, turning to face him from her chair.  
"Of course. Even if there are some humans left down there, we've received no messages from them in a long time. We need to blow the planet before the Covenant get off of it. Even if the Spartans are still alive."  
Jeremy looked at the Captain with fierce eyes. "Charging cannon, sir," he said. "We will be ready to fire at approximately 1140 hours!"  
"Excellent! Sit back and enjoy the show, kiddies."  
  
Zaran was furious! Those cursed cyborgs had killed two of his best Elites, and now he was going to show their commander what he was made of. In one swift move, he fired his powerful leg muscles and came hurtling from his place high up in the rafters.  
It was obvious that the Commander had no idea the warrior was coming. He looked up just in time to see Zaran light his plasma sword and head towards him, with the weapon pointed at his heart.  
"You die, human scum!" Zaran screamed, raising the weapon above his head. As the Elite drew nearer, James reached out and grabbed the warrior's elbows. Using all his strength, he twirled around, flinging Zaran against the far wall. Zaran landed in a heap two feet above the ground, and slid slowly to the metal, his eyes fluttering weakly.  
James drew his M6D pistol and aimed it right at the Elite's unprotected head. "What is your business here, Elite?" he growled. "Where is the cannon like the one on Raiek?"  
Zaran snorted. "There is no cannon, fool!" he said, smiling darkly. "You believed exactly what we wanted you to. We figured you might be listening over our comm-links, and spoke as if there was a cannon."  
"We never listened to you!"  
"Maybe not. But our little charade worked, did it not? You and your team are trapped down here for the killing."  
"What are you using that plasma for?" The Commander asked, indicating the several barrels still left to be dumped into the large container. "If not for a weapon, then what?"  
Zaran smiled wickedly. "It's actually for a more devilish use. You know that this moon's core is made mostly of iron, nickel, and cobalt, right?" James nodded. "Only about two percent of it is plasma." James nodded again. "That weapon the battle cruiser is using to fire at us accelerates the particles around it so that they are actually magnetized, does it not?"  
"Yes, but I don't see what that has to do with—" He stopped in mid- sentence as Zaran propped himself up. James placed his finger on the trigger, warning him not to move any further.  
"But you will soon see, cyborg. Think about it! All that extra plasma we're dumping into the planet is—"  
"Into the planet?" James asked, astonished. "I thought it was traveling up from this room to a weapon higher up."  
"Fool of a human!" Zaran snorted. "Look more closely at the spire. If you can see, the plasma is traveling down, not up! You have been fooled again, and now that the humans believe this place has a weapon inside it, they will surely fire the MAC guns on this Fortress to take it out."  
"Not while we're still in it!" James retorted, snorting.  
"Quite the contrary," Zaran sneered, raising his wrist. From it played a message obviously intercepted by Covenant forces over their hacking system. From the sound of it, the Commander could easily recognize the voice of Captain Martin of the UNSC battle cruiser Constitution.  
"We need to blow the planet before the Covenant get off of it. Even if the Spartans are still alive."  
Another voice came through just after. "Charging cannon, sir. We shall be ready to fire at approximately 1140 Hours!"  
James couldn't believe it. They were going to fire the MAC gun on the Fortress, even while they were still alive inside with a fighting chance. "How do we know that is real?" he crowed.  
"Of course it's real!" Zaran screamed. "You recoiled in recognition when you heard those voices! And whether or not you think it's real is up to you, but if you want to save your men, I'd try and stop it right now!"  
It was then that Zaran leaped up without warning. He again had the blade aimed for the Commander's chest. James leaped to the side. Zaran landed on his feet and shot backwards. Surprisingly, he caught James in the chest with his blade, removing the shields instantly.  
"Now!" James cried, falling against the wall behind him.  
Instantly, two plasma grenades flew through the air. Zaran couldn't figure out where they came from, but he knew they were real enough. He crouched down and leaped up as far as he could. Using one claw, he grabbed a railing above him and watched as the grenades went off. The Commander was nowhere in sight.  
Then, from right above him, a shadow loomed. The warrior looked up to stare right into the visor of a Spartan warrior, who was a bit smaller than the Commander. "Boo," the cyborg said, smiling under his helmet.  
His finger squeezed the trigger, but Zaran had flipped backwards under the railing, crawled across the bottom of the catwalk, leaped over the other side and landed behind the Spartan. Bryce spun around, but was too surprised. Zaran back-hand blow took his shields away and sent him tumbling over the edge, falling towards the plasma-filled pit below.  
Zaran spun around and locked his talons on a lever directly behind him. Effortlessly, he moved the switch downwards. When the Fortress had been built, the humans in the base were expected to be under heavy Covenant attack within the next several months. Therefore, they installed a security system in the cargo room. Below, on the ground, the room instantly charged with electricity. Crackling and sparking, the energy made the plasma even more dangerous. If Bryce fell in, he wouldn't stand a chance.  
Every single Covenant warrior below that avoided the plasma until now was jolted with three thousand volts of energy. They were dead almost instantly. The only Covenant troop left alive was Zaran himself. A necessary sacrifice, Zaran thought to himself.  
The Commander moved to help, but Alex came up from behind and grabbed his shoulder. He had moved out of his spot when he saw Zaran reach for the electricity switch. There was nothing either of them could do to help Bryce.  
Unexpectedly, three pairs of twin bolts swept in through the open bay door on the ceiling. It was then that a Banshee came flying in. The pilot at the time was unknown, but the two Spartans on the platform watched as it arced down and came under Bryce McClain, effectively stopping his fall. Bryce spun to grab the vehicle. He lashed out and snatched a lip of the cockpit. However, as the Banshee turned to avoid running into a pillar, it threw the hapless Spartan onto the vehicle's wing.  
James raised his assault rifle and aimed for Zaran. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. The bullets zinged through the air. As for the Elite, he leaped clear two milliseconds early, gripping a bar above him. With two shakes of his massive body, he swung for the Banshee.  
Using his left claw, Zaran hooked onto the wing opposite Bryce. With his right claw, he raised a plasma rifle and aimed right for Bryce. As he pulled the trigger, the Banshee banked hard to the right, throwing the beam astray. Bryce realized his plight and tried to produce his own weapon. Zaran saw the maneuver and fired once. The blast knocked Bryce's pistol into the plasma bubbling below them.  
Alex aimed his sniper's rifle and activated the 2X scope. He took careful aim and pulled the trigger. Zaran grunted in pain as the bullet pierced his left arm, ripping into the soft flesh.  
The crazed computer chose this time to use its electricity to attack airborne objects. A large bolt of energy raced from the floor and connected with the body of the Banshee. The entire vehicle exploded in a fury of fire. Zaran leaped back to the catwalks above and Bryce dropped to the platform where James and Alex waited.  
As for the Banshee and its courageous pilot, the two slammed hard into the wall just behind the Spartans and came crashing to the ground. James moved cautiously over and gripped the cockpit. Behind them, Zaran had landed and been knocked out by a stray railing.  
When the Commander manged to pry off the top, they all peered into the Banshee. From within, the body of Farr 'Tenglannee fell onto the ground. Next to him with a holo disc. Alex picked it up and a bright image appeared. It was Captain Moores.  
"Sorry I can't appear in person," the image of Moores said, "but Sergeant Lombard and the Lieutenant and I have to return to the Constitution. We hope you will rendezvous with us there. We send our regrets, along with Farr, one of the most diligent rebels we've ever seen. He is here to offer his assistance, as he requested to do shortly before we left. Thanks, Spartans, and good luck on completing your mission. See you back on the Constitution, and please return safely to us."  
Commander James looked at his time display in the HUD of his helmet. The display read the time being '1117 Hours.' "We have twenty-three minutes before the Constitution fires her MAC gun in the form of a large beam instead of a chunk of energy. They think this is the only way to punch through Orean's surface."  
"So?" Bryce asked, shouldering his rifle.  
"Two reasons; one: we're still on the planet. If they shoot, we go with it. Two: if they actually do punch through, the extra plasma they've added will react with the metallic elements and send a charge as the moon blows, creating a giant shockwave that will most likely run through the beam and into the Constitution. If that happens, the entire ship will explode on contact, and we'll probably go with it."  
"Surely they won't shoot with us still on the planet," Alex said.  
"Quite the contrary," James countered, looking into the visors of both his remaining men. "They'll do exactly that."  
"So what do we do to save ourselves?" Alex asked.  
Just then, Farr 'Tenglannee sat up. The Spartans looked down, surprised the warrior was still alive; the warrior was extraordinarily resilient. "I have a plan." 


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22  
  
1137 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Cannon loading room of Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek  
  
Commander Zaran was gone. Shortly before, a Covenant dropship had come for him. The Spartans had fired after the Elite, but, as expected, it was futile. Nothing could stop the guns of the dropship, and Zaran had escaped. In the end, the Spartans were forced to drop back and hide until the ship moved away.  
Zaran's last words were, "You lose again, filthy cyborgs!" as he hopped into the ship and its relative safety.  
Now, however, Farr and the "cyborgs" had a plan of their own. Farr was standing at the controls of what had turned out to actually be a make-shift cannon of a certain sort. "Zaran lied to you when he said there was no cannon on Orean," Farr said as he manipulated the controls. "At least, sort of. From the plasma energy that was put into the planet, we can shoot it back out again, making a type of cannon that we can use. All we have to do is align it, and fire it when your Captain uses the MAC on Orean."  
"How do we do that?" Alex asked as he braced himself against the shaft in the center of the room. Both hands were on the metal covering, preparing for the awesome task ahead of them. They had shut off the electricity, so the whole room was now safe, save for the white-hot, boiling pit in the middle.  
The Commander had already figured it out. Once again, he was one step ahead. "Just the same way that we reversed the polarity back on Raiek to make the energy go into the planet as it wasn't supposed to be, we can do the same here to launch the plasma from the core out of its place."  
"Correct," Farr said.  
In several minutes, Farr has used the radar at the control console to locate the battle ship Constitution. Within seconds he had a lock on the MAC gun. "We need to bend that shaft to match the cannon so it will intercept the cannon's projectile. Move the cannon slightly to the left, guys!" Farr called.  
All three Spartans braced themselves and threw their entire weight against the shaft, hoping to move it. Bryce was throwing his body into it, aiding the Commander and General as they shoved with all their might. In seconds, the entire thing started to move, and bent until Farr ordered a halt.  
"Now get onto the north end and move it south a bit."  
All the troops shuffled to the other side and threw all their weight against the metal once more. Their combined incredible strength of the MJOLNIR technology proved effective yet again. The entire shaft of metal bent, straining, creaking under their force, until Farr again told them to stop.  
"Perfect match! Well done you three."  
As the Spartans came up next to Farr, James noticed the time. "Three minutes 'till showtime," he said aloud. "You know what you're doing, right, Farr?" he asked worriedly. "I mean, it's a good chance we'll come out of this alive?"  
Farr looked at the Commander. "By 'we', do you mean us personally, or the human race in its entirety? Either way I'm not sure I can answer. Truthfully, our chances of this actually working are rather slim. But if we die here, we can at least know we tried. Of that Earth can be proud."  
  
Captain Martin stood on the bridge of the UNSC battle cruiser Constitution. He was looking towards the ship's built-in AI, Sara. She stood on a platform all her own, the true Amazon warrior in her shining outfit as she, out of habit, fondled the hilt of her holographic sword.  
"When shall we fire the gun, Captain?" she asked, almost impatiently. "We can't hold the charge for long."  
Martin looked at Moores, who was standing behind him. "Will you do the honors, Captain?" he asked, a broad smile on his face.  
"Certainly. We can only hope that the Spartans have made it off the planet by now." Little known to either of them that the Spartans were still alive and kicking, and nowhere near being away from the planet. If their MAC charge got through, it would mean the end for them all.  
"Ready, Sara?" Moores asked, gripping the railing.  
"MAC gun is hot," she said back. "Removing safeties."  
Jeremy turned in his seat. "Transferring the firing control to on-board AI now," he said, his fingers rattling over the controls. "The gun is ready to fire, sir."  
Moores stood straight. "Fire!"  
On the hull of the ship, the main MAC gun was in position. Near its end, the weapon's energy was nearly ready to pop off. The lights in the bridge dimmed, and the entire ship shook as the cruiser spat its bolt of energy at the planet below.  
  
"MAC charge heading for us. Impact in three minutes!" Farr called. "Brace yourselves! We're firing this baby in a couple seconds here."  
The Commander and his men gripped the railing surrounding the perimeter of the control deck. Farr held a lever in one claw, and a red sliding button in the other. With one push, he slid the button all the way up the panel, and the metal shaft shook with intensity. The entire room radiated with energy.  
With a flick of his wrist, Farr pulled the lever downwards. The four of them watched with intense curiosity as to what would happen as the entire Fortress shook. Then, the plasma came racing up through the shaft. They could watch it through the clear parts from Covenant design.  
Nearly two meters above them, the entire blast of energy slammed through the thick crust of the moon's surface and made a devastating explosion. The beam rocketed up through the atmosphere, several meters in length, and headed towards the sky, right for the direction of where the MAC bolt was coming.  
  
Somewhere in between the two locations, the beams closed in on each other. It was Hara that noticed the other beam from her position in radar. She tapped some controls to make sure her observations were correct, and then turned to face the Captain. "Sir!" she called. "Unknown energy blast heading for the MAC charge, sir!"  
Martin faced her. "Put it on-screen." The large screen ahead of them all filled with the image—it was true. There was another blast headed right for their's. "Can it stop our shot? And is it of Covenant make?" the Captain asked his officer.  
"Affirmative, it can stop our shot, but it is of unknown make."  
Martin cursed. "All that time and now our charge is to be destroyed before it even reaches the moon!"  
In space, the plasma bolt headed right for the MAC charge. "Brace yourselves!" The entire crew of the UNSC ship Constitution and the remainder of the Pillar of Winter grabbed hold of whatever they could as the two beam smashed into each other.  
The most deafening explosion ripped through space. Even though space was a vacuum, and no sound could be heard, the magnitude of the explosion, and the fact that the plasma could be heard in space, added to the sound. A sound that could be heard half-way across the system of planets ripped through the airless space.  
In the case of the battle ship, the whole aft side was hit with the first shock-wave. The battle cruiser was tossed end-over-end, thrown sideways in space, tumbling into nothing as it drifted lazily away from the moon.  
Aboard the ship, Martin cried out to the AI. "Activate thrusters. Stop this tumbling!" Outside the ship, forty or more tiny thrusters snapped on. As well as those, ten larger and two gigantic ones activated, using the force of several space ships of olden days to bring the cruiser to a halt. The roll only lasted two minutes, but it seemed like longer to the crew inside.  
"Back to your stations, everyone!" Martin called. "Find out what that blasted thing was!" Little did he know at the time, the Captain had included a pun.  
  
Down on the moon below, the Spartans were surprised to still be alive. They slowly stood and regained their footing. Even the only remaining rebel Elite was back on his talons again. Already he was checking the radar.  
"We stopped it!" he growled happily.  
There was little time for celebrating, however. They had to figure out a way to send a radio transmission to the Constitution before enough time passed that they decided to send another MAC blast down. Orean only had enough plasma left for one more shot, and that might not be as powerful as the preceding. It was a risk not worth taking. Also, even if the shot did make it through, too much of the core would be drained, and the planet might collapse in on itself.  
As Farr tinkered with the controls, Bryce was watching the sky through the gigantic hatch above them. He thought he could see something moving in the sky above him. The distinct U shape formed itself into his mind. It was then that it hit him! "A Covenant dropship!"  
James's head whipped around and he looked above. It took only moments before he, too, spotted the approach of the Covenant ship. And the fact that they were chancing a return meant they had found something worth risking an entire team of warriors.  
"What could they want with Orean?" Alex asked. "We've pretty much taken it over. There's no way they could think the Constitution will allow them to land."  
"The battle ship won't fire at them," James said, still watching. He knew what they were after.  
Bryce looked at their Commander. He realized once again that the clever warrior was already one step ahead. Wonders never ceased. "Why's that?" He figured he would get a confident answer. He was correct.  
"They're after the Pillar of Winter," James breathed.  
  
"We've located four distinct forms on the moon below," Hara said to the Captain, who faced her in his seat, his face rock hard and serious.  
"Can you identify unknown forms?" Martin asked in a deep tone.  
Hara's fingers rattled across the keyboard. "All I can get is four obviously armored individuals in what appears to be the main control room of Fortress Orean. Actually, it the humans' time, it was a storage bay, but it has been modified. I suppose it's where the cannon is fired."  
Martin leaned on his elbow, wiping sweat from his brow with the other hand. "That must have been what hit us," he said, staring hard at the on- screen view. "Sara," he called, "can you tell who they are any better?"  
The AI responded almost immediately. In that little time, she had looked at every single way possible to check the area for the identities of the four figures. Unfortunately, none of them came out the way she'd hoped. "Negative, Captain," she said quickly, trying to show off her skills. "Would you like me to try again?"  
"Don't bother," Martin murmured. He turned to face Captain Moores, who stood right next to him. "Any ideas on who they are?"  
"Yes, Captain," Moores said, looking straight forward and not moving in the least. "I know exactly who they are."  
Martin sat up. "Who?"  
"My Spartans and the Elite rebel. They're still alive."  
As Martin turned back to face his officer, smiling lightly under his small moustache, he heard Jeremy scream louder than he ever had. "Captain!" he roared, startling everyone on the bridge. "Two Covenant warships in- bounds! Moving fast enough to be in range within three minutes, sir."  
"Charge the MAC gun! Arm Archer missile pods A1 through B7." Martin ordered without hesitation. Jeremy nodded and turned back to his console. He rapped several buttons and keyed in the orders. "Hara!" the Captain called to his comm officer Shirley. "Any word from the Spartans?"  
Almost as if on cue, a voice crackled in over the system. Shirley nodded from her seat and cranked up the volume as loud as it would go, and also connected the channel to every other one on-board the ship. This would be important.  
"Battle ship Constitution! The Covenant have returned to Orean, and the only reason they could possibly be here is because of the Pillar of Winter! Master Commander James Carser is planning on moving out to stop them within the hour. We're going to need back-up eventually, as our ammo supply is running low! Can you help us?"  
Everyone on-board the ship cried out in joy at the Spartans survival. No one else knew who the voice was, but Moores recognized it as the voice of a Master Chief-ranked soldier named Bryce McClain. He picked up the mic from Shirley and spoke directly into it. He already knew it was the Spartans that had intercepted the MAC shot, but he wasn't sure how he knew that.  
"Chief! This is Captain Hank Moores, on the battle ship Constitution! We have received your message and are planning on sending reinforcements within the next few minutes."  
"You'd better hurry, Captain!" Bryce said back. "We don't know how long the ship will be safe without us to guard it. It might take another hour to get back there, and who knows what will have happened by then? Did you execute the Cole Protocol before you left?"  
"Don't worry about it, soldier!" Moores radioed back. "We have a way to keep those Covenant out of our ship until you arrive. Captain out!"  
"Chief out!" The line went dead and Shirley switched it off.  
"What is his plan?" Martin asked, already curious.  
"Just watch and see," Moores responded. "But I can tell you one thing. The Covies are going to have one hell of a time trying to take our ship away from us!" he said, laughing. Then, he turned around, picked up the mic again, and keyed it in. "Do you read me? Hello?"  
After a short burst of static, a voice came through that sounded vaguely like... "Aye, Captain, this is Darkel, what can I do for you, sir?" 


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23  
  
1204 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Location of fallen UNSC battle cruiser Pillar of Winter on moon of planet Raiek  
  
The Covenant had found the Pillar of Winter! The dropship swooped in low and fast. They all knew that the ship had to be taken before those pesky cyborgs were able to uncover their plan.  
A capture of the battle ship would surely ensure an easy escape from the moon itself. After lying in wait for several hours, the Covenant were ready to put their plan into action and destroy the humans for good.  
As the dropship neared the ground, two Hunters, fully equipped with a six-foot shield and a powerful arm-mounted plasma cannon, landed with a mighty thump on the dust, kicking it up around them. They moved their massive heads from side to side, watching for signs of any humans. Seconds later, three Elites came down next to them. Two wore red armor and the third was covered in gold.  
"Move out and take the ship from all sides!" Zaran 'Gangolee shouted to his four troops. "I want warriors taking it from the front, and more moving in through the bridge hatch. Also, another force should go in on the underside. Tunnel under it, following the maps, and get in that way! Go go go!"  
Once the dropship had come within two feet of the ground, the side hatch opened. Two Elites and four Grunts, fully equipped with plasma pistols and needlers, dropped to the ground, an equal amount of the same force dropped on the other side. Total, that made four Elites and eight Grunts.  
"Let's get moving!" the Elite cried out. "To the main hatch!"  
On the back of the ship was a large hatch. It was used as the main hatch for loading equipment onto the ship. After coming in, cargo was loaded to the storage decks underneath the main level. Otherwise, troops were ordered to their barracks.  
Four Grunts, backed by an Elite, stood in front of the door. Two Grunts were hefting a large explosive device in their arms. They grunted with exertion, slowly moving up the boarding ramp and trying to tilt the bomb. Since they weren't strong enough, the Elite behind them used one claw to heave the bomb into place. The magnetic seals attached instantly, and the pulsing, purple bomb was secure. The device was essentially a huge plasma grenade, much like the Covenant version of a LOTUS mine.  
The Grunts worked feverishly to activate the device. Behind them, the Elite stood watch. Several meters away, on the ground past everything, Zaran stood next to an eight-foot tall Hunter. Zaran looked up at the heavily-armored warrior and spoke quickly to him. They'd have to be fast, and he wanted to reinforce this point.  
"Make sure those Grunts work faster than they normally do. I don't want to have to deal with any human interference," the arrogant Elite snapped.  
The Hunter nodded and looked towards the boarding ramp on the back of the ship. As he did, he watched as the Grunts and Elite backed away. The bomb was set to blow. Pulsing started, and it began to flash faster and faster and faster until the entire device shattered in a fury of metal and plasma.  
Every Covenant warrior dropped back as four Elites came forward. They held plasma rifles and aimed their weapons up. In unison, they fired their weapons at the door, burning away excess metal. As they pulled back, eight Grunts came forward, all holding needlers and moving towards the now-open hatch.  
Zaran wanted to finish the job, because an explosion of that magnitude would light up every sensor on the humans' radar within two hundred miles. They had to move quickly. "Go faster!" he shouted to the Grunts.  
After electing an unwilling Grunt to go first, his comrades shoved the "volunteer" forward and into the hatch. Taking his time and not wanting to move too fast, the Grunt stepped cautiously up the ramp and looked around once he passed beyond the intial threshold.  
Inside, all he could see was a tunnel leading away from where he stood, and several computers to the side. Also, on the left was another doorway, small enough for a human, too large for a Hunter.  
Just then, two guns dropped from the ceiling. They were attached to metal poles that were jointed in three places. The weapons swiveled on their placements and aimed right for the Grunt.  
Screaming for his life, the Grunt threw himself to the side. Bullets whizzed by overhead and caught two Grunts coming in behind him. They screamed and fell back. One was dead and the other was shot in the left leg. The Grunt inside aimed his weapon up and fired three needles. They stuck into one gun and blew it to pieces. The other gun immediately turned and fired. The Grunt let out a shriek, and fell limp, dead instantly after two shots to the head.  
"What was that?" Zaran asked.  
Almost immediately sensing their plight, another dropship came down. Eight Jackals dropped from the side and moved towards the ship. Grunts and Elites alike pulled back, making way for the Jackals. They screeched in their birdlike manner and moved up the ramp. Two held plasma shields in front of them as the remaining gun fired.  
Bullets pinged from the shields of a Jackal in the lead. Another behind him raised his weapon, lowering the shield. That was a mistake. The gun instantly swiveled and fired. Screaming in pain, the Jackal fell backwards, knocking another over. In the fall, both shields shattered. The gun eliminated the remaining Jackal.  
Only six warriors remained. They elected to leave, holding their shields behind them. However, an emergency door over the hatch slammed shut. All six Jackals were locked inside. They howled in frustration and spun around, only to have two of them be gunned down by the weapon. The four left sprinted down the hall, their hooves clattering over the metal as they ran.  
As they rounded the corner, they spotted a door. However, it slammed shut. When they turned to come back they way they had before, another door popped from the ceiling and closed. The Jackals collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Then, the room began to get very hot. So hot that none of them could stand it. Temperatures climbed from room temp to nearly two hundred degrees fahrenheit. The aliens screamed and hollered as they literally burned alive in the sweltering heat.  
Just as quickly as it came, the heat faded. All the Jackals stood as the temperatures dropped. However, the temp didn't stop there. It just kept dropping until it was nearly one-hundred fifty below. All the liquid in the Jackals' bodies froze instantly, sending them into convulsions. They twitched madly and collapsed to the ground, moaning as all the fluid in their veins froze solid. They were all dead after four seconds of agony.  
Four red dots vanished from Zaran's thermal scanner. The Elite cursed. He turned and faced the Hunter next to him. "Get your men to blow open that door! I don't want anything slowing our progress!"  
The Hunter nodded quickly, flexing the long metal spines on his back. He lumbered forward and pointed to the first two Hunters that landed, and motioned towards the metal hatch. He roared out something, and the two warriors seemed to understand. They moved in unison and faced the hatch. Both cannons on either Hunter started to vibrate and glow with plasma.  
With a roar of fury, the beams were unleashed. The first blast cut through the middle of the door, and the second sliced the hole open wider, making for easier entry. The Hunters cried out in glory as the Grunts and Elites moved forward.  
They came quickly upon the door and moved easily through. When the auto- gun inside snapped onto their location and opened fire, the Elites threw themselves in the way, their plasma-powered shield taking the brunt of the bullets. Grunts howled in panic and moved quickly past, going down a hall to the left. The Elites followed quickly.  
A red Elite named Gargan kept the group moving. He was the highest- ranking Elite of the group, and he immediately took charge. Raising his plasma pistol and motioning the men forward, he quicly scanned a holo-map of the ship and directed his small group down a hall ahead of them.  
Outside, Zaran called in a group of ten Grunts. They were the tunneling team. Their job was to bust in under the hull of the ship and come in through the hatch on the underside of the ship.  
"Make sure you don't fail me!" Zaran told the elected leader, Zazag.  
Zazag nodded vigorously and moved his group around to the side of the ship. On his order they raised their weapons and began to burn through the dirt and moved under the ship.  
Zaran called forth another team, comprimised completely of the only Howlers left with the Covenant. Only six of them remained, and the commander of the group was a strong leader named Targon. He snapped a salute in the alien way and watched as Zaran pointed his group towards the front hull of the ship.  
"I think Howlers are the best race made to deal with the defenses on the bridge of the ship. Get around to the front, and find a way in. I don't care how you do it, just get in any way you have to! But remember, if you encounter the cyborg Commander, leave him to me!"  
The group of six Howler warriors moved away from the Elite commander and kept their group moving. Zaran turned to the Hunter next to him. "This will be cake once we're on the bridge. The humans won't even know how we got here before they could spot us!"  
  
The Constitution was nearly surrounded. Captain Martin stood next to Moores, both of them trying to act the part of being completely unworried about the present situation. But adrenaline ran through their blood and they were beginning to sweat. Three Covenant battle cruisers against one UNSC ship weren't exactly good odds. However, Martin wasn't the best tactical man the UNSC had for no reason, and he wasn't a Captain for no reason. He knew what to do.  
"Missile pods armed?" he called.  
"Aye, sir," Lieutenant Jeremy responded.  
"MAC guns charged?" he asked.  
"Aye, sir," Lieutenant Hara said.  
"How far is the first battle ship?"  
"Several thousand miles, sir."  
On the side of the Covenant ship, lights began to shine and it seemed like the whole right edge of the ship was glowing. The resulting attack would send a large wave of plasma through space which the Covenant could control very easily from their own ship. If any wave of energy hit the Constitution, the entire battle would be over and Orean would fall to the Covenant.  
"Fire the MAC, and then launch all armed missile pods," Martin ordered.  
Aimed towards the closest ship, the MAC gun spat three bolts of energy. Then, all along the lateral edges of the ship, the Archer missiles fired. The first MAC shot slammed into the ship's shield, weakening them, and the second hit made them fail. Finally, the last hit entered the ship through its front and exited through the back, oblitering the control deck (which was tucked into the ship and surrounded by armor, making it impervious to anything but a mortal blow). Archer missiles slammed into the ship's front, some disappearing through the hole itself. Soundlessly, the whole ship detonated.  
However, they weren't out of the water yet.  
The remaining battle cruisers turned and primed their own plasma beams. They were facing right for the Constitution, and a direct hit from either one would end their lives. Martin had to think quickly.  
"Charge the MAC!" he barked. "Arm Archer missile pods C1 through E7. Order Major Silver to launch the Longsword interceptors, and arm one with a Shiva nuclear warhead. We want some men willing to go to their deaths and save the rest of us."  
Lieutenant Comm Officer Shirley keyed in the radio. She told the Major the Captain's orders. Lieutenant Jeremy ordered Archer missile arming, and Hara started to charge the MAC guns. "If I pull this off, we'll make history," Martin said to Moores, who only watched in awe. Martin winked at his fellow CO. "Let's try it out."  
Just then, the left battleship fired! A wave of plasma energy lanced through space on a direct course for the Constitution. Martin shouted, "Fire bottom thrusters!" and Sara nodded. She fired the underside thrusters and watched as the ship shot into the air. "Rear cameras!" Martin ordered, and Sara complied. Martin watched as the plasma wave changed its course and shot towards them. So, they could still control it rather well. "Hold, Sara!" Martin ordered calmly as the beam came right towards them.  
"Four seconds to impact," Jeremy said. "Three...two..."  
"Fire starboard thrusters!" Martin shouted. Sara fired off a hundred or more of the jets, and the ship obligingly launched to port. The wave tried to follow their movements, but shot backwards. "Fire rear thrusters!" Martin commanded.  
Sara activated the rear thrusters and the Constitution took off, on a collision course for the left Covie cruiser. Just then, the right cruiser opened fire. Another wave of energy headed right for the Constitution as Martin had hoped they would. Just before the second wave slammed into them, Martin gave his order, "Port thrusters away!"  
The Constitution lurched starboard and began to spin. Just as Martin had anticipated, the two waves slammed into each other, causing the largest spike of energy any of them had ever seen. Soundless in the vacuum of space, the wave jumped to incredible temperates for plasma and failed the shileds of both the cruisers as the Constitution shot underneath it.  
"Launch Longsword interceptor squad and target right cruiser. Set the Shiva on that thing!" He turned to Jeremy and shouted. "Fire the MAC into the underbelly!" Jeremy nodded and hit the red button. The lights in the bridge dimmed, and a bolt of molten slag spat from the cannon. It slammed into the ship's underbelly and took her right through her bridge in the middle, crippling her.  
The Longsword landed on the final ship and activated its Shiva. The Constitution was racing away as the shield snapped back on. "Detonate the warhead!" Martin shouted. As the nuke detonated, the Covenant's own shields effectively held in the explosion, and kept anything else from being harmed. When the explosion died down, the shields shattered and released pent-up energy. The ship was gone. As a safety measure, Martin completely demolished the first ship with his Archer missiles.  
Martin would be in the record books for that maneuver. But even though he had taken out three warships, the war was not over yet.  
  
Master Commander James Carser moved silently from the Fortress. The Spartans had located a lift that allowed them to easily get out of the base. As the lift itself rode easily along its track towards the hatch above them, the Commander turned to face his dwindling team of only three.  
"We don't have much time before the Covenant will have taken the Pillar of Winter for themselves. For that reason," he said, looking directly at Farr 'Tenglannee, we'll have to move as fast as we can. Now, who is the best driver here?"  
Alex raised his hand. "I've always thought I've been a good driver."  
James nodded. "Of course. You will drive the Warthog Moores left outside for us when he arrived. Also, I have gotten word from the Captain himself that some Marines left us a present in the forest, to aid us in our task. They left it hoping it would come of some use, and now it's close enough to the battle cruiser's landing site to actually be of use."  
"Excellent," Bryce said, shouldering his assault rifle. "Let's make tracks, sir!" he said, laughing.  
The lift shuddered to a halt, and the entire team moved around the front of the Fortress and found the Warthog just where it should have been. Before leaving, the team had visited the weapons room of the Fortress, and it contained many stolen human weapons and crates of ammunition, captured by the Flood and Covenant alike.  
They had uncovered many useful weapons, including enough grenades for each to have four. Farr and the Commander had plasma, Bryce and Alex elected to take frag grenades. In any event, they both had enough to suffice. They also restocked all their ammo supplies for assault rifles and pistol ammo. Farr, favoring plasma weaponry, took a plasma rifle and gave up the M6D. Alex and Bryce had taken shotguns in place of their assault rifles.  
Spotting the Warthog from afar, James ran quickly towards it and hopped into the passenger seat. He would be riding shotgun. Alex took the driver's seat and started the engine. Bryce hauled himself into the gunner's seat, activating the powerful LAAG gun and swinging it around a bit. In front of the gun, Farr 'Tenglannee grabbed onto the back of the seats and held on to steady himself.  
Alex pressed on the accelerator and the vehicle took off across the grass, kicking up dust in its wake.  
  
Jason was furious. But the Flood inside him only fueled the anger. After being elected the new leader of their band on Orean, Jason decided it was time to end the menace of the Spartans he used to love so much for good.  
The combat Flood form watched in anger as the LRV took off across the grass. Jason watched as the dust flicked up behind them and the engine revved in bursts of speed. The fact that they would make it to the crash site before he did only served to tick him off even more.  
After howling in anger and moving through the hatch, lowering himself on one tentacle, Jason spotted a Banshee parked on the deck. He smiled inside and lowered himself to the ground. He didn't know if he would be able to fly the thing, but if it would allow him to catch the Spartans, it was worth a try.  
Jason Lent pried the cover open and gawked at the vehicle. He slowly lowered himself inside and gripped the controls. In a shaky move, the Banshee lifted from the ground and streaked out the open hatch. Jason could fly it with realative ease.  
Infection Flood below cried out in joy. Their leader was going to do it! He was going to lead them to victory. The Flood scuttled across the ground, following Jason. He might get there before them, but even a warrior like him would need back-up eventually. They were the ones that would give it. 


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24  
  
1258 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Twelve miles west of crash site of UNSC battle cruiser Pillar of Winter  
  
Bryce looked up as he heard the roar of a Banshee's engines. He thought he might be imagining it, but a glance upwards told him he wasn't dreaming. The Banshee flew in about twenty meters above them, howling as quick as they moved across the planet, headed in the same direction. That Banshee was going for the Pillar of Winter!  
Using his left hand, Bryce pointed upwards to indicate the ship in the sky. "Banshee!" he called to the Commander.  
As for the Commander, James himself turned in his seat and watched as Bryce stared in awe as the flying vehicle. "What are you waiting for, Chief?" he called back. "You've got the LAAG in your possession, soldier! Use it!" Bryce instantly obeyed, swiveling the gun upwards, trying to follow the Banshee. He pressed hard on the trigger and the gun began to rattle until his hands and forearms were numb. 12.7X99mm armor-piercing bullets tore into the metal of the Banshee. Bryce watched as the pilot swooped right over top of the Warthog's LAAG, effectively moving out of the range of the weapon.  
"Blast!" Bryce cried. "He's out of my range, Commander. The gun can't swivel that far up!"  
Angered by the constant threat of Covenant forces, the Commander grabbed his assault rifle and turned to aim at the vehicle. After checking to make sure it was parked in the right spot, James pulled the trigger. Bullets zinged past the vehcile as it flew overhead. However, enough connected to damage the engines in the back.  
Jason steered the Banshee away from the Warthog, out of sight. James sat back in his seat and put a new clip of ammo into his drained gun, tossing the empty clip out of the 'Hog. "Can you go any faster?" he asked Alex.  
"I don't know, sir."  
"Well, try. We want to get there before the Covies can take off." Alex's foot pressed down harder on the accelerator and he frowned with concentration while driving through dense vegetation. "Everything depends on it. The fate of the Earth and every human on it depends on us right now, men. Let's show the Covies what we can do!"  
Alex pressed harder into the pedal than he ever thought possible and the Warthog took off like a rocket from its barrel and twisted through the forest.  
  
Zazag, the Grunt tunneling leader, raised his tiny arm and waved the plasma rifles around over his head. "Hurry! We mustn't allow any failures! If Zaran thinks we did anything wrong, he'll have us for lunch!" he hollered, ordering the Grunts to work faster and keep the tunneling job moving along swiftly.  
"Burn baby, burn!" one Grunt laughed, melting away hard and dense rock from the underside of the grounded ship. "Let's keep going!" he cackled merily. Zazap came over and cuffed him soundly on his head with the butt of his rifle.  
"Ignore this fool, and continue with your work!" Zazap said, trying to sound as much like an Elite as he could. Elites were commonly known to bonk Grunts on the head, so Zazag figured if he did the same thing, he would be projecting authority. He knew Elites never got bonked on the head by Prophets for sure. "Work faster!" he said firmly. "If we don't finish this before those cyborgs get here, Zaran will have all our heads!" Zazap pounded another Grunt's skull to reinforce the idea. Then, he kicked the Grunt, almost as an afterthought.  
"What are you pounding my head and kicking me for?" the Grunt asked, raising his rifle menacingly in challenge.  
"Because I'm the leader of this digging team!" Zazag said firmly. "And because you don't have any say in when I bonk and when I don't! Just keep digging."  
The Grunt looked up and pulled the trigger. Zazag dodged to the left and fired his gun, killing the Grunt. The joking Grunt, named Gagar, took a swing at Zazag but the nimble Grunt leaped over him and landed behind him with a plop! Gagar turned and raised his gun but Zazag killed him before he could fire. "Let this be a lesson to any Grunt who feels they want a say in this!" Zazag said, grinning from his lesson. "So get working!"  
Seven remaining Grunts toiled hard under the watch of Zazag, the eighth. After several minutes of working, dust covered their facemasks and their muscles began to ache. However, none of them voiced their troubles to the leader, for fear of his combat worthiness. Zazag was more skilled than most Grunts in combat, and the workers knew it.  
Within minutes, they began to see the portion of the hull that was buried in the ground. Three Grunts started to dig instead of burning away dirt in case they accidently hit the ship. It didn't take long for a sizeable entrance to become noticeable. More dirt and rubble was pulled away under the ever-watchful eye of Zazag. Grunts dug on the slits indicating the location of the door but they couldn't get it to budge. "We can't open it!" one Grunt said to Zazag. "It won't move."  
Zazag tried to puff out his chest more and stand taller than before. "Blow it!"  
The same Grunt said quickly, "But we have no explosives, Zazag—"  
Using his gun, Zazag knocked the Grunt on his head. "You will refer to me by my official rank, soldier! By the way, what is your name and rank?"  
"My name's Arary and I'm a First Lieutenant, sir."  
"Well, I'm Two-Star General Zazag, so I definitely outrank you. Now, refer to me as General or suffer the consequences. I have been in more battles and survived more fights than probably any Grunt ever to have lived." Here, he lifted his right arm and revealed a bullet hole on the underside of it. "I got this scar from the Master Chief cyborg himself!" he said proudly. The other Grunts flinched from the sound of his name—it was a curse word in their culture. "I'm the only Grunt to live through a meeting with that one! He thought I was dead but I lived and snuck off the planet on my own escape ship."  
The rest of the Grunts looked very impressed. "So, follow my orders without question!" he shreiked madly, waving the gun towards the door. "If we have no explosives, pry it open any way you ca—aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"  
A suddenly jolt of electricity had shot from the side of the door. It was probably channeled through the ID scanners implanted on the side. The bolt shot towards the Grunt General and caught him straight in the chest. His suit plate exploded in a shower of sparks and the tiny Grunt screamed in pain. He launched backwards from the blast and landed hard on the ground. Zazag didn't move a muscle.  
Arary hurried to the Grunt General's side, backed by two Grunts. One was named Jajar and the other was called Yoyor. They signaled to the rest that they should move away from the door and keep clear from it for the rest of the time they were working there. Arary kneeled next to Zazag and motioned towards Jajar, a certified medic.  
Jajar kneeled as well and pulled out a medkit from behind his back. Sitting the case on the ground, the skillful Grunt worked furiously. He popped open the locks and then opened the case. Jajar pulled out a small penlike implement and aimed it right at Zazag's bleeding wound. With a flick of the instrument, a tiny purple beam shot from it and connected with the wound. Within seconds, the wound had healed completely.  
Slowly, Zazag's head lifted and he moved into a sitting position. "What happened?" he asked, obviously still in enormous discomfort. "What was that?"  
"As far as I can tell," Jajar said, standing upright and loping over to inspect the door from a bit of a distance. "The door let out an electric charge in bolt form and it struck you across the chest. Hopefully we can figure out what's causing these attacks so we can stop them."  
"Probably the ship's human AI," Yoyor observed, inspecting the electric burn. "They've most likely been instructed to keep us out of the ship." He turned and faced Zazag, who was struggling to stay sitting. "That's why we've had so much trouble getting into her."  
All the Grunts spun to face the door when they heard a shimmering sound. A small humanoid animal strode through the sheet metal of the door while it was still closed and faced the Covenant troops. He pointed an accusing paw up at them and growled in a low voice, "Just try and stop me!" With that, he faded from view.  
"We're in a bit over our heads," Yoyor mumbled.  
  
1332 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Five miles west of crash site of UNSC battle cruiser Pillar of Winter  
  
The Spartans had found the overturned MBT (Mobile Battle Tank). Nestled almost snugly in the bushes and trees surrounding it, the tank rested peacefully until it was to be found. James placed a metal glove on the top portion of the tread. His Spartans carefully positioned themselves around the tank and then James raised his hand. "Heave!" In one swift motion, the Scorpion flipped into the air, spun onto its underside, and landed with a loud crash on the forest floor.  
As they finished the task, Farr bounded up next to them and saluted smartly. "Awesome performance, Spartans," he said quickly, waving his plasma rifle over his head excitedly. "But I'm seeing more dropships heading towards your ship, so I think we'd better make tracks."  
"Right," James said, holstering his gun and climbing into the driver's seat of the Scorpion. "The rest of you take the Warthog and drive ahead since you can go faster. Assess the situation and take appropriate action. Try and hold off the Covenant until I can arrive and help out. Get going!"  
Alex scrambled into the driver's seat and Bryce again manned the LAAG. This time, Farr jumped up and planned to ride shotgun, charging his gun with a spare battery he had found and then aimed it skillfully. When Farr raised his claw to signal his readiness, Bryce followed suit. Alex pressed a button to start the engine and then pressed his foot down on the accelerator. The Warthog took off quickly through the underbrush, hitting nearly fifty miles per hour within seconds.  
James reached down and lowered himself into the cockpit of the tank. He had only driven one four times previously, but it didn't take much doing before he felt familiar again. When he climbed in, it seemed like the vehicle sensed his presence and started itself up. James grabbed the controls and then looked straight forward. He pressed hard on the accelerator, and the tank lurched forward, starting its death roll to the Pillar of Winter, and the rescue of the world.  
  
Gargan led his tiny group down a corridor after glancing at a holo-map of the ship. The Elite officer had been assigned with Grath, who was not really of much help. He was almost as bad as the Grunts in slacking off and being a complete coward, unlike usual Elite characteristics.  
"Think we should be moving so close to the weapons room?" Grath asked, putting a claw on Gargan's back, shaking. "Why don't we just wait a bit and then tell Zaran we couldn't find anything? It would be much simpler."  
Gargan whirled around and grabbed the officer. "This ship is our only shot at beating the humans! If we let it slip because of some bonehead Elite, we'll never win the war and do what the Prophets say we must!" Gargan threw Grath down in disgust, and Grath's face was a look of utter terror. "How did you get to become an officer anyway?" he growled angrily as he turned back to face forward and resume the search of the darkened ship.  
Since they were left in almost utter darkness and holding only flashlights they found on the walls for guidance, Gargan didn't notice an automated gun drop from the ceiling. It spun and faced the Elite warrior. "Duck!" Grath cried. Gargan threw himself forward and the bolt of energy caught Grath in the chest, catapulting him backwards. He hit the wall and slumped to the ground, dead.  
"Scatter!" Gargan roared, for he knew what would soon follow. Three more guns dropped and started to fire instantly. Two Grunts went down almost immediately in a howl of pain, and a second Elite dropped after them. Three Grunts came crashing into one another, only to be shot and killed by the guns. Gargan raised his gun and destroyed one of the placements, but two more dropped to replace it. "Move from the room!" he yelled. "Move yourselves!"  
The six remaining Grunts and three Elites followed Gargan as he hurried into the next room.  
On the ground, the same cheetah that had tormented the Grunts outside appeared. It was Darkel in his chosen form. "You can run but you can't hide, Covenant scum!" He vanished without a trace while his voice lingered, echoing through the halls.  
Gargan and his team came into the next room and suddenly started to hop up and down. The floor was so hot it was burning through their boots. They spun to leave, but the doors slammed shut on both walls. Continuing to jump about, Gargan roared to his comrades. "Climb the walls! It's our only hope of living!" Moving almost eerily, the Covenant Elites leaped up and clung to the walls. Grunts, however, were not as lucky. They continued to scream and hop about. "We'll hold you!" Gargan called. He would normally have left them to die, but he needed all the cannon-fodder in this place they could get. Two Grunts flung themselves at him, and he caught them.  
The next Elite held two and a third held two more. The last Elite was left Gruntless. "How are we going to get out of this?" he asked.  
Gargen had to think about the question for a second as he clung for dear life with his claws to the side of the room. "As far as I can tell, those doors are the only way out. We'll have to blow them off if we hope to make it out of here alive." Gargan flung himself at the door and landed on it, gripping the sheet metal with his claws. "Fire at it!" Three Elites responded and fired their plasma weapons around the perimeter of the door. Gargan drew backwards and then threw his weight forward, breaking the door and falling forwards.  
"We made—aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Gargan fell forward to see an auto-gun lower and fire at him. His entire head exploded and the body fell limp. Inside the room, two more guns dropped and killed three Grunts within seconds. Two Elites leaped for the door but were shot in mid-air. Another Grunt fell to the gun and then the last Elite fell from the wall. The final three Grunts dropped to the floor and made for the door, but three rounds of bullets quickly laid them flat.  
  
Six Howlers stood at the front of the ship. Targon held up his hand and then lowered it quickly. The five Howlers around Targon opened their mouths as wide as they would go. When Targon moved his hand forward, the Howlers let out the most earshattering scream they possibly could muster up.  
"Kee-ROWWWWWWWWWW!" Combining forces of five Howlers added up to one giant shockwave. The rippling air smashed solidly with the cockpit windscreen, shattering it instantly. Sounds from the Howlers kept traveling through the ship and destroyed any chairs or seating in their way, frying computers and other instruments on the bridge.  
"Let's move," Targon said, starting his now-silent group forward. Being incredibly athletic, the six warriors noiselessly jumped straight up and right into the broken bridge. A scene of utter chaos lay before them. Computers and instruments of all kinds sizzled and sparked around them. "We don't have much time before the cyborgs arrive. We have to get this load of slag operational again," Targon said quickly.  
Working as fast as they possibly could, the six Howlers spread through the bridge and began to observe every aspect of the way the computers and monitors functioned. Fortunately for the Covenant, they had not destroyed any important computers in the blast, like ones that acticate weaponry and the piloting controls. They had, however, shattered shielding, tactical decisions, and more advanced maneuver controls. Basically, the ship was now a flying box.  
A Howler took a seat at the pilot's chair. He gripped the controls uneasily, looking around the panel shakily at the different controls. Targon sat in the Captain's seat and ordered one Howler into the guns, another into the MAC controls, and the final two into look-out station in a glass area of the forward part of the ship. "Start it up," Targon said.  
  
Alex gunned the engine and the Warthog used a fallen log like a ramp. It charged over the brush and trees and landed hard on the dirt, kicking up dust as it gripped the ground uneasily. "Fire!" Bryce swiveled the LAAG and faced a team of two Hunters, an Elite they recognized as Zaron, and several Grunts and Jackals.  
Bryce pressed down on the trigger and hundreds of 12.7X99mm bullets flew from it, piercing the shields of Zaran and Elites standing around him. The Jackals positioned themselves in the Warthog's way, trying to protect their Elite leader and use their shields to protect themselves as well.  
"Give them all we've got!" Alex shouted. "Take no prisioners!" Farr jumped from the vehicle and raised his plasma rifle. The bolts of energy quickly rebounded off the shields made of plasma supplied by Jackals. Plasma was no use. Farr reached behind his back and unhooked a plasma grenade. As he ran, he lit the tiny device and sent the purple trail flying as he hurled it at the group. The grenade landed in the circle, and Zaron shouted aloud as he threw himself out of the way.  
Two explosions followed the intitial one from the grenade as more grenades went off. An Elite, a Jackal, and three Grunts fell prey to the grenade, being killed or wounded. Zaran stood tall and drew his plasma pistol. "We fight to the death, traitor!" he called in the Elite language.  
"You're finally going to meet your match!" Farr said back in the same language as he hurled himself on top of Zaran. The Elite Commander ordered none to follow him as they rolled around on the ground, punching, kicking and clawing at each other. Farr ended up on the bottom and he pulled up his talons. In one quick thrust, he pushed Zaran back several feet and into a standing position. "No shooting, scum!" Zaran laughed. "Only all-out brawling!"  
"I can agree with that!" Farr aimed a low kick, and Zaran jumped into the air. Farr came up with an upper-cut, but Zaran pushed off Farr's shoulder and flipped backwards, landing cleanly on the ground. Farr rushed forward and threw out a claw, but Zaran bent backwards as Farr's claw sailed right over him. Zaran returned to a standing position and spun around as Farr aimed a punch at his face, which connected. Zaran let out a small oof! and staggered backwards, while stars broke out in his vision. Farr came forward and stomped on his talon, causing him to stagger more. The enraged rebel let fly another punch to the chest, which connected, and a knee jab to the stomach, which connected as well. Zaran fell backwards and landed hard on the ground. He didn't move.  
"I have defeated your leader!" he shouted to the group of Covies as Alex came through with the Warthog, mowing some of them down. "Surrender or be killed, it's your choice!" As the remaining troops raised their guns, Alex ran over the rest. He brought the vehicle to a stop and then let Farr come over. "We've taken out everyone outside, but we have to get in the ship and make final checks. Darkel should be holding it against any invaders, but—"  
Alex was cut off by a rumbling sound. The engines of the Pillar of Winter were starting. The ship slowly started to lift from the ground, powering up before a take-off. They were too late! In the despair of their defeat, the Spartans hardly noticed the rumbling of three more dropships coming in. Within seconds, they were over the group and lowering themselves. The doors on the side opened, and Covenant of all types jumped out. A lone Hunter dropped hard and rumbled a warning at the humans. "Kill them!"  
"Move!" Alex roared. The humans dropped back behind the Warthog and leaned out from it, firing assault rifles, pistols, and plasma weaponry. Countless frag and plasma greandes flew from both sides, and although the humans were slaughtering the Covenant as they came, it wouldn't be long before they were overrun. "This is insanity!" Bryce cried as bolts of plasma splattered against the walls of the Warthog as the dropships fired down on them. "We're going to die here!"  
Alex sighed in defeat and dumped his shotgun on the ground. "Out of ammo. If only we had more firepower we could hold out longer."  
A faint rumbling began to grow louder and louder. Trees could be seen being crushed in the forest as a large object made its way to the crash site. Just then, an MBT Scorpion came crashing through the underbrush. As soon as it was clear of the shrubbery, the cannon on its nose shuddered and then fired. A large shell raced towards a group of Covenant warriors and detonated on the ground. The ensuing explosion threw Covenant into the air and destroyed two Shade guns. The Scorpion drove into plain view and the turret rotated upwards. Twin mini-guns snapped on and fired up at a dropship. The ship bucked backwards from under the force and started to pull away. The cannon on the Scorpion went off again, and the dropship's aft side shatered in a fury of fire. Four seconds later, the cannon went off again, and the dropship fell into the forest in a flaming pile of metal.  
James Carser, Master Commander, could be seen at the controls of the mighty vehicle. He chuckled aloud as the tank lurched into movement again. A shell flew out once again, and more warriors dropped to its wrath. The whole time, the mini-gun was sweeping back and forth, slaughtering the Covenant forces effortlessly. Within a matter of minutes, the entire battlefield was a mess of craters and devoid of living Covenant forces. All were lying on the ground, dead or maimed. James hopped from the tank and observed the Pillar of Winter as it slowly started to rise. The engines were badly damaged, which explained why it wasn't rising very fast. It would take two hours for them to clear the extremely tall trees, but they were still high enough that the Spartans couldn't jump to get there.  
"We've got to stop it," he said simply. "There's no other hope for humanity."  
"How are we supposed to do that?" Alex asked desperately.  
"If I can get in there," James started, "and overload the core of the ship, the ensuing explosion would surely destroy the ship and bring it back to the planet's surface. The only question is getting up there."  
Farr raised a claw. "I have an idea."  
  
As the Pillar of Winter rose slowly into the air, Alex looked at it from his place in the driver's seat of the Scorpion parked slightly behind the rising ship. His helmet shielded itself against the bright glow of the sun and he saw James crawling to the end of the turret. "Fire when I tell you," he ordered and slipped to the end of the barrel. Farr was waiting of top of the cannon.  
When the Commander was in place, he called out to his teammate. "All readings prove correct?" The reply was positive. "And you're sure it won't go off in mid-air?" Again, the response was positive, indicating that the shell would not go off for the length of time it would be used. "Then fire when ready!"  
Alex slowly rotated the turret upwards and aimed slightly above the retreating ship. His finger pressed down on the firing controls. The cannon shuddered and exploded violently, spurting fire up in two directions as the shell hurtled from its resting place. Attahced to the back of it, clutching for all he was worth, was the Commander. He gripped the ridged edge of the shell and watched as the ship came into view. His shields were completely drained from the explosion and only because of the over-shield they had found in the cargo had he survived the blast. At that very right moment, he let go of his shell and started to fall towards the ship. As he fell, the shell shattered behind him.  
Farr stood steady on the side of the turret and prepared himself. He preferred to snatch the shell as it launched from the Scorpion. Alex thought it a bit bizarre, but to each his own. Alex prepped the launch and then pressed down on the trigger again. As Farr moved like lightning to catch the shell, Zaran hurtled up from nowhere and snagged it before he could. The Elite Field Master raced through the sky like a rocket, heading towards the form of the Commander who had landed safely on the hull of the ship.  
"Get another shell loaded!" Farr roared. Each shell took four seconds to load itself, but it was the longest four seconds any of them had ever experienced. They watched in awe as Zaran let go and landed on top of the Commander. The two of them immediately began to fight, James growling and Zaran hissing as they performed an elaborate fist-fight.  
Alex pressed the trigger again, and the shell was off. Farr leaped out to grab it and snatched it expertly. The shell propelled him up towards the ship. As he rose through the heavens towards his target, he could see the Elite and Spartan fighting each other savagely. Farr released his shell and landed hard on the hull of the ship. Zaran was holding James by his neck with one claw, punching him harshly in the chest with the other. James was held up, helpless, being forced to just take the blows.  
Landing in a crouch and slowly standing with a snarl as Zaran lifted the Commander's body higher, Farr growled, "Drop him."  
Zaran turned to face his new opposer and smiled. The Spartan was becoming boring. He looked at the rebel as the Commander's head sagged backwards. Zaran dropped the Spartan and moved his body to face Farr's. "I see we have the rebel here to face me. What, the old routine getting too boring? Let's make a new one then!" Zaran flung himself head-long at Farr and landed near him. Farr came in quickly with a hook from the left, but Zaran threw up his arm to block it. Farr then went in with a punch with his right, but Zaran used his own right to stop the blow. He then retaliated with a kick to Farr's chest, and connected. Farr was lifted from the hull and tossed several feet backwards. He flew through the air, landed, rolled, and was on his talons again in seconds.  
"Is that all you've got?" Zaran asked in their own language, laughing. "Show me your best!" Farr punched Zaran in the head as he came at him and knocked him to the side. Then, Farr leaped towards him and aimed a kick at his chest. The blow met its target and sent the Elite commander head-over- heels towards the edge of the hull. Farr charged him and was met with a solid punch to the jaw. Farr straightened and wavered slightly, then collapsed in a heap. "Shame, really," Zaran muttered, laughing again. "That was all he could give me!"  
As Zaran turned to go, Farr reached up and grabbed his ankle. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the Elite towards the middle of the ship. Farr then jumped up, but was met by a swift kick. He cried out and skidded along the hull, coming to a stop with his head and shoulders poking over the edge. Zaran yelled aloud and ran straight for Farr, and then hurled himself forward. Farr raised his feet and caught Zaran in the chest with his talons. With Zaran still perching on top of his talons, Farr rolled and threw him backwards over the edge.  
Zaran seemed to hang in the air for a moment. The realization was beginning to dawn upon him that this was no ordinary opponent. He was fierce, quick, and just as agile as Zaran himself. Then, he plummeted. He could see the ground racing towards him. The Elite then noticed a part of the ship that stuck out from the rest. As he fell past it, he reached out a claw and snagged it. Holding on with all his might, he started to climb.  
Farr got over to the Commander and helped him up. "Get inside and get this ship back on the ground, Commander," he said quickly, and James nodded. He easily regained his composure and then started walking towards a ventilation shaft and ripped off the grating. In a second, he vanished into the ship.  
The passage in the ventilation was very narrow, and James had to move on all fours if he were to make progress. Cramped and claustrophobic places bothered James when he was in the Marines, but training for the SPARTAN- III's erased all that from his mind. He had learned to shut out all uncomfortableness and it worked wonders in tight situations. After the long cryosleep in the Pillar of Winter to get to Raiek, the Spartans' skin had hurt like a blazing inferno. Their skin was red and raw underneath their shining green armor, and there was no pain like it. In the days they'd been out, their skin was healing rapidly, but they were still uncomfortable. James learned long ago to shut out this pain and his uncomfortable skin from his mind.  
James came to a grating—end of the line. He reached down and silently slipped the cover off and set it behind him. Then, he leaned forward and dropped the three meters to the floor. Not a sound came when his boots touched the hard metal of the floor. He clicked his light on in the dark room and looked around. The light from his helmet shone around the room, casting eerie shadows along the dimly-lit walls. James was frightened, but he shut this out as well. He was a well-trained Spartan, and any pain must be banished from his mind.  
It was then that James thought he saw a shimmering in front of him. He stopped abruptly and then the lights snapped on. He clicked off his light and then froze. The shimmering occurred again to his right and the Spartan Commander unholstered his M6D pistol and aimed it at the movement, which quickly vanished. James looked around more, waving the gun in all directions. Then, his head snapped up as the shimmer came directly at his face. He was picked from the ground and thrown backwards. He landed on a large object on the floor that was rectangular and rather large, skidded across it, and thumped hard to the floor. As he was picking himself up, something seemed to grab him, but he still couldn't see his attacker. The thing raised him into the air and flung him across the room. James flew far and slammed into a raised pillar jutting from the floor. He slumped to the floor in a heap. Then, he realized what it was. A Spec Ops Elite was cloaked and attacking him.  
James leapt up and saw the shimmer coming for him. He aimed a punch right at where he guessed was the waist. When the blow connected, he heard a sparking and a small explosion erupted from the belt. The Elite's cloaking failed and he appeared as he stumbled backwards. James started to move forward but was tripped by something. He gasped and clattered to the floor. He spun around and looked up to see a bright beam illuminate itself. A plasma sword belonging to another Spec Ops Elite! There were two of them!  
The second Elite aimed a swing down at James, but the Spartan leaped backwards, landing on his boots. The bladed Elite swung again, but James reached out and caught his arm. He held it fast and then used his knee to slam the Elite where his cloaking device was, knocking it out. James kept his hold on the Elite and then kneed him a second and then a third time. He then took out his pistol and shot him right in the face. The Elite clattered backwards and his plasma sword shattered as it hit the ground.  
The first Elite jumped up and charged right at James. The crafty Spartan swiveled his pistol and fired two shots at the Elite's chest. The Elite stopped momentarily and staggered backwards (his shields were down) and then resumed his composure. James raised his MA5B assault rifle and opened fire right at the Elite's chest. Howling in pain, the subdued warrior collapsed to the floor, twitched, and died. James slammed a fresh clip of ammo into the gun and then moved into the room beyond—the bridge.  
  
On the ground, Alex lowered himself to the grass after watching Farr take off and looked to his comrade. "Looks like we're stuck here for some time. The Commander ordered us not to follow him under any circumstances. He needed us to remain on the ground, but what for I don't know."  
A distant rumbling filled their ears, and the ground beneath their boots began to move. Bryce spoke up quickly. "I think we're about to find out!" Just then, a Covenant Banshee screamed over the treetops, flying rather low and coming right for the Spartans. Alex motioned to Bryce, and the two of them raised the assault rifles they'd found in the Warthog. In unison, they began to fire upon the Banshee. Whoever was flying was obviously skilled, because the aircraft began to weave in and out of the bullets, not letting a single one touch it. "We can't score a hit, General!" Bryce yelled as the 7.62mm bullets firing at thirteen armor- piercing rounds per second continued to fly.  
"Cancel the firing! I'm going to use the Scorpion. You get the LAAG." Alex jumped into the Scorpion and swiveled the turret so that it face towards the Banshee that was circling around to come in and attack again. Bryce clambered up and manned the LAAG gun, moving the turret so it, too, faced the incoming Banshee. As Alex opened fire with the mini-gun, Bryce pressed down on the trigger and it started to hammer away relentlessly. However, it seemed that no matter how they fired their weapon, the Banshee could always evade them. It moved around mini-gun, LAAG, and explosive shells from the Scorpion.  
The Banshee was headed straight for the Scorpion. The fuel rod cannon on its end started to charge. Alex realized he stood no chance after the battering from plasma and jumped to the ground again. The fuel rod cannon shuddered, exploded, and then fired the large bolt of energy. "We'll never get away in time!" Bryce cried.  
"Stay on the Warthog!" Alex shouted. He sprinted for it, leaped, and landed face-first in it. He found himself facing the pedal and reached out his hand. Alex pressed the pedal down, and the wheels squealed and caught the dirt just as the Scorpion exploded in a fury of metal and fire. The Warthog pulled away from the inferno in the nick of time, ripping across the ground followed by a wave of fire. When the wave died down, Alex released the accelerator and pressed hard on the brake. He slowly stood and dropped to the ground. Bryce moved the LAAG and began to fire again.  
Alex slammed a fresh clip into his rifle and raised it, again firing at the Banshee. The crafty vehicle swooped under the hail of bullets and headed straight for Alex. The wing was coming right at his head. Before he could duck, the Banshee was in his face. He reached up his arm and snatched onto the short, stubby wing. He was instantly swept from the ground as Bryce still fired the LAAG. "Get me down!" Alex roared.  
Bryce hopped to the ground and activated a plasma grenade. Using all his strength, he hurled it up at the receding shape of the Banshee. With a minute click, the grenade latched on and started its three second fuse. "Not a grenade!" Alex cried. The top of the Banshee flew open and a Flood combat form leaped from it and plummeted towards the ground. Then, the grenade went off.  
The Banshee's left side completedly shattered. Alex struggled with himself to keep the Banshee flying as he watched the Flood land below him.  
Jason roared at the top of his lungs and charged forward. Bryce raised his assault rifle and let it rip. Bullets flew through the air towards Jason, but the nimble Flood leapt to the side and used his vinelike fingers to trip the Spartan, sending him painfully to the ground. "Nice try," Jason growled. "I can see you're as clumsy as you've ever been!" Then he laughed in a gurgling, rippling way, his tentacles moving around his body menacingly as he approached the fallen warrior. "Your time has come!"  
Bryce looked behind him towards the line of trees. As he watched, the trees began to vibrate, and then infection form Flood started to pour from the gathering of trees, flowing like water into the field. They were screeching and howling, thirsting for the Spartans' blood. Moving with the speed no human could match, the twenty-one-tentacled beasts flooded from the forest, hence their name, and moved right for the Spartans. "Oh, no."  
Jason moved into the swarm and raised his claws to the sky. "Let them feast on your rotting bones!"  
The MA5B assault rifle, fully loaded, snapped up and started to fire. The bullets moved extremely quickly, and popped the infection forms like balloons, making them explode and cause a chain reaction that killed others in the proximety. An MA5B was the first choice weapon for fighting infection Flood, and Bryce used it to his full advantage, not shooting at each Flood, but sweeping the gun around to ensure he popped every single one of the little buggers coming his way. However, even though he was making a significant dent in the middle numbers, more Flood would wrap around the outsides and attack from behind in a classic pincer movement.  
Alex headed straight for the Flood, trying to move the Banshee. As it neared three meters from the ground, Alex dropped, rolled, and jumped to his feet again. The Banshee clattered to the ground several feet from him. Alex pulled out his assault rifle and began spraying the masses with the fast-firing bullets as well, following suit with Bryce and shooting while sweeping his gun across the front ranks.  
  
1508 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Fifty meters in the air on the bridge of the UNSC battle cruiser Pillar of Winter  
  
James peered into the room beyond, letting his visor scan every detail of the large bridge. He wanted to make sure he took out the six Howlers quickly and efficiently, not letting a single one dent his armor at all. He would need them if he was to have a visit inside the core and live to tell the tale.  
One Howler was obviously the leader, as he was sitting in the CO's chair, and after several minutes of analysis, James established he was called Targon by the other Howlers. Silently slipping his finger inside the pin of an M9 HE-DP grenade, called a fragmentation grenade by most Marines (or a frag grenade), he yanked the pin and counted to himself. Four... He rolled the grenade under the chair of a Howler who was sitting at the weapons station.  
Three...  
The Howler looked down after hearing the rolling and moved about, trying to locate the sound of the noise. Then, he looked under his desk.  
Two...  
Failing to find the noise-making object, the Howler looked then under his partner's chair, still baffled as to what had made the noise.  
One...  
The Howler then looked under his own chair, and spotted the frag grenade resting calmly in place. He then noticed that the pin was missing, and realized he had heard the sound several seconds beforehand.  
Zero.  
The grenade went off with the force of a Jackhammer, throwing the chair it was under into the air. The Howler who had noticed the grenade went up in flames instantly, and his buddy was tossed across the room, a burn etched into his side. He didn't move.  
"Ambush!" Targon cried, ducking behind his chair.  
James rolled behind a computer and then popped over the top. His pistol flashed up as well and he fired once. He caught a Howler in the chest, and the being dropped backwards, howling in pain. James spun to the left several inches and fired again. He laid the fourth Howler down with a shot to the chest.  
The Spartan ran forward and punched Targon with his M6D. The Howler screamed aloud and fell backwards. When he landed, James kicked him again and he went sprawling backwards. "On your feet, filth!" James spat, leveling the gun right at the Howler's skull. He clicked the ammo release and slammed in a fresh clip. "Up!" he yelled curtly.  
"You know who I am?" Targon shouted, enraged. "I am—"  
James shot him in the leg with his pistol to silence him. "I don't give a rat's ass who you are, Covenant filth!" he spat. "Up on your feet!" he growled.  
"There's one problem," Targon said calmly through the pain of the bullet in his leg that was ebbing and spattering blood onto the deck. "You missed one."  
James's eyes went wide and he spun around. A Howler was standing behind him with a devilish grin on his ugly face. "Kee-ROWWWWWWWWWW!" The blast impacted right on the Spartan's stomach, lifted him off his feet, and sent him right for the bulkhead of the ship. He did not stop there; the blast sent him through the bulkhead and out into the air. He was unconscious, and plummeting down to the ground at an increasing rate. 


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25  
Zaran 'Gangolee slowly pulled himself over the side of the ship and raised up to his full height, easily over seven feet tall. Farr 'Tenglannee faced his opponent, panting heavily after the long battle. He had not expected Zaran to be such a fearsome adversary, and he definitely did not expect what happened next.  
Zaran raised his right arm and pressed a button on the side of his wrist. From a slit in his arm, a large plasma sword sprung out, sputtering and glowing as it did so, rippling and flowing as if it were a solid object instead of a beamed object. He laughed as he raised it over his head and said, "Let's see you defeat me now!"  
However, Farr had some tricks of his own up his claw. He, too, laughed and moved his claw down to his belt and twisted the buckle. Instantly, he vanished, and the air where he stood started to shimmer and ripple. He had activated the cloaking of his type of Elite, a Spec Ops. He wore the silver armor of a Spec Ops Elite, and he still had the belt he had used when he worked with the Covenant.  
"You're not so tough!" Farr laughed as his shapeless shimmer moved and Zaran whirled to try and locate him. "Starting to sweat, are you, Zaran?" Farr laughed. "Your plasma sword is of little use if you cannot see your opponent!"  
Zaran chuckled low, muttering, "Oh, but I have a pretty good idea of where you are." Then, he struck behind him. Farr did not see the blow and screamed out as the blade embedded itself in the cloaking device on his belt. The belt shattered a fury of spraks and flames, blowing upon impact. Farr tumbled backwards, and Zaran hovered over him, laughing to himself. Then, the side of the ship shattered from the force of air molecules. Farr watched as the Commander started to fall towards the ground.  
Farr ran for the edge of the ship and dove over it, racing to catch the Commander. What he would do once he got there he didn't know, but he could not let James die like this. The sake of Earth was in the hands of this human and his teammates, and if the landing didn't kill him, he would die at the claws of the Covenant or at the bloodlust of the Flood.  
Zaran laughed aloud. "Don't want to lose your precious Commander, do you?" he asked loudly, calling over the edge of the ship. "Hahahaha!" Then, it dawned on him. He had instructed Targon to leave the Commander to his own claws. That traitor! "You cursed Howler!" he snarled, and leaped over the side of the ship. He snagged the edge where James had made his exit and swung inside.  
Targon spun to face him and the other Howler came up to Zaron in greeting. The ruthless Elite killed him in a second with his plasma sword. Decapitation is a bad way to go, however quick and painless. "Traitor!" he snarled as he went into a crouch.  
"What do you mean?" Targon asked, looking alarmed. "I have done as you have told me. The ship is your's, and—"  
Zaron raised a plasma rifle and pulled the trigger. Targon felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. Green blood, his blood, spilled onto the deck and he fell to his knees, gasping for breath from the nostril slits on his skull. "That's another thing!" Zaran growled. "If I had not come after you, you would have left me on the planet to die at the hands of the Flood!"  
Targon looked perplexed. "But the Covenant have not yet left the planet!" he gasped, still clutching his guts as his nostrils flared on his head. "You would have been rescued by them!"  
Zaran shot Targon again, this time higher up in the chest. The Howler fell over backwards. "Fool! You know I am no longer listening to the trash the Prophets feed us! I have gone against their ways and now I am on my own! It will not be long before I alone rule over the Covenant, without the filth of the Prophecy and their creators!"  
After a knock over the head from Zaran, Targon collapsed onto the deck, defeated.  
  
Farr hurtled towards the ground faster than he could ever imagine. He had pressed his limbs flat against his body and easily caught up with the Commander, who was still unconscious. He started to look around for a way to slow their desent and save them both.  
From his place amongst the Flood, Jason looked up to watch the two falling. How unfortunate for them that he was against them both. However, if he let them die like this, how would he ever be able to continue thirsting for their blood, and eventually make the kill himself? After considering the consequences of both decisions, he reached up his arm and allowed a tentacle to shoot up towards them.  
Alex was still using his assault rifle to fire upon the advancing Flood. Although he and Bryce were pushing them back, it wouldn't be long before they both ran out of ammo. Then, Bryce lowered the LAAG and sighed. "Out," he muttered. He hopped to the ground and resorted to his assault rifle, the two of them using the Warthog for cover and extra ammo (some was stashed in a side compartment) and firing alternately.  
With several seconds of spraying, they each had to reload. Alex took out his last clip of ammo, and Bryce took out his third-to-last. They both started to fire at the same time, spraying the massing forces of the Flood, still futilely trying to hold them back. Alex kept on firing, and then he heard a click and looked at his ammo counter on the back of his weapon—it read: 00. Empty.  
Bryce slammed a fresh clip into his gun and continued firing. Alex tossed his empty weapon back into the Warthog, disgusted. The only thing he had left was his shotgun, which barely had any ammo left in it (and was almost useless against infection Flood anyway), and his M6D pistol back in the Warthog, which was runnning low on bullets as well. "We won't be able to do this much longer. I think it's time to face the music."  
While still spraying the masses with his second-to-last clip, Bryce motioned to the Warthog. "Get into the 'Hog. Once I run out of ammo, we'll have to make a break for it!" Alex hopped into the LRV and watched Bryce's counter run to 00. Then, Bryce slammed his last clip in and the counter jumped to 60. He continued to spray the Flood while he jumped up into the back part of the Warthog, and then the gun clicked. He was out of ammo.  
Bryce tossed the gun away, spun around, and screamed. "Drive!" Alex's foot slammed down on the pedal, and the Warthog took off, driving away. When they got a considerable distance away, Alex jammed the handbrake, spun the wheel, and turned around in one quick motion. Then, he gunned the engine and headed right for the little buggers. He intended to mulch them all as they came.  
Jason flung the Commander and Farr to the ground, looking menacingly at them both. "Thought you could survive this war! Covenant and human alike will fall to the wrath of the Flood!" He looked up to see Alex and Bryce riding right for him. Bryce was leaning off the side of the Warthog, holding a shotgun aimed right at his chest.  
"Eat it, bastards!" he screamed and pulled the trigger. Jason howled aloud and fell over backwards. The infection Flood swarmed to take his place, protecting him with their life, jumping over him to shield his unguarded body from the Spartans. As the last of the infection Flood trailed from the forest, a new wave came. Carrier Flood, followed by combat forms. They were pouring from the forest with no sign of letting up. Bryce turned his shotgun, jumped from the 'Hog, and started to shoot the incoming combat forms. "We have to stop them!" he shouted as he walked.  
Jason slowly stood and ripped the bullets from his body, flinging them to the ground. He moved quickly into the trees and wrapped his tentacles around the trunks of two obviously flexible trees. Slowly, he walked backwards, pulling the trees back and making his tentacles go taught. When he was back all the way, he needed more strength, so he retracted his tentacles a bit to give him more force. Then, he jumped from the ground and sailed through the air.  
Bryce looked up to see Jason go flying through the air, and land neatly on the outside bulkhead of the Winter. He pointed up and yelled, "He's on the ship!"  
Farr held the Commander's head in his lap as they sat in the Warthog. James then sat up slowly, looked at the fallen Banshee and moved over to it, trying to reorient himself as he walked. "I'm going back up there. The rest of you stay here and hold off the Flood. I'm going to kill Jason, Targon and, most of all, Zaran, for good." He grabbed a shotgun as he went.  
"You can't fly that thing, sir!" Alex called. "Bryce busted it!"  
"By the looks of it, it only took one grenade to the wing. It can still fly." When James was in and ready to fly, he was proved correct yet again. The Banshee still lifted off the ground and took off into the air towards the Winter, which was rising higher and higher into the air; she was already at fifty-five meters up. She was climbing slowly because of damaged engines, but if the core could be restarted, she'd take off much faster...  
  
Inside the Winter, Zaran looked down at the fallen form of Targon and laughed heartily. "You're such a fool to believe the Covenant would do more than just take advantage of the Howlers. We only wanted you for assistance. My people were planning on betraying you and destroying your home world."  
"What makes you think I won't tell this to my people before you can carry out your plans?" Targon asked, sitting up and wincing slightly with the movement. "I am still alive, and as long as I can still talk, your secret isn't safe any longer."  
Zaran snarled and struck Targon across his skull, sending him painfully into the deckplates. "You won't talk because if so much as a peep escapes your lips, I will kill you slowly and painfully. Understand?" He roared the final word. The sound reverberated through the ship.  
Targon raised a plasma pistol that he had found on the deck, but Zaran kicked it from his weak hands, aiming his own gun at Targon's head, smiling at the defeated and crippled Howler. "You're finished! Don't try and make it harder on yourself!"  
A growling, almost gurlging noise from the hole Targon's officer had made caused Zaron to turn his head. Jason was headed right for him after leaping from the open hole, and he landed painfully on Zaran's chest, sending the Elite sprawling backwards. "Zaran!" he roared, "You swine! You betray the Flood and the Howlers! Who's to say you will not betray everyone you ally with?"  
As Zaran sat up, he growled, "We never allied with you! Your kind are inferior to us, and you should make sure to remember it!"  
Jason roared in anger. "I could slay you so quickly you wouldn't be able to blink!" The feared tentacles lashed out again, snatching Zaran from his place and slamming him against the bulkhead, obviously painfully. Jason then snatched Targon and crushed his wind pipe with another tentacle, effectively suffocating him until his eyes glazed over and he collapsed, dead almost instantly.  
Zaran was slammed backwards again as he closed his eyes in silent fury. "Let me go!" he growled, still struggling against his bonds.  
"I'll let you go, runt!" Jason snarled. "Right out that open hole, I'll let you go!" As Jason pulled his arm back, ready to fling the murderous Elite out the hole, a roaring Banshee appeared in the air outside the ship. It turned and faced the Flood and Covenent warriors and fired twin plasma blasters. Jason dropped the Elite and ripped open a vent shaft above him. Using two tentacles, he shot straight up and out of sight.  
Zaran rolled across the floor and ducked behind a monitor. He pulled a plasma rifle from his belt and looked up over the computer. The Banshee was still there. The second it saw him, the guns fired once again, and Zaran ducked. Then, he returned fire, watching the shots bounce from the Banshee's armor. Zaran lit a plasma grenade and hurled it.  
James flipped the Banshee on its side just in time for the grenade to whistle by. He fired the cannons again and watched as Zaran jumped behind another form of protection. Just then, Jason shot out from the vent and landed in front of the Banshee. A large tentacle raced for the Banshee, and James moved up just as it sliced into the body, effectively destroying the machine. The Spartan jumped away as the single ship screamed from the sky and exploded against the ground.  
Then, a warning signal blared. A very short-range radar detected an impromptu Covenant outpost several miles from their location. It looked to be a docking bay for the plasma from Raiek, and it was now being used to evac the Covies from the planet as fast as they could go.  
An M6D pistol went off, and Zaran fell backwards, howling in pain. The bullet had grazed him just above his left eye. Jason took his chance and vanished into the vents again. James peeked over his console and saw Zaran look up. The Spartan unhooked a frag grenade from his belt and held the clip that reloaded when the pin was pulled down with some rope binding he had with him in his belt. He then pulled the pin and rolled the grenade across the ground. It came to rest right next to a console, in front of where Zaran ducked. An effective trap.  
James leaped over the console and struck Zaran with his pistol. The Elite fell backwards, but then he sprang up again and knocked James over the head. As the Spartan tried to stabilize himself, Zaran kneed him in the chest. James gasped for air and bent over to clutch his stomach, and the ruthless Elite delivered a swift kick to him, sending him sprawling to the ground, almost unconscious after such painful blows.  
"You're a fool!" Zaran laughed as he watched James struggle up. Zaran shoved him back to the deckplates with his talon and laughed a second time. "Persistent, I'll admit. But a fool nonetheless. You actually think that the human forces stand a chance against the Covenant! We are the most ruthless army in the galaxy. We kill without remorse, and the UNSC are no different. The killing will continue until one side falls, Commander, and mark my words, that side is your's!"  
James rolled onto his back and glared up at the Elite, who continued his speech. "I was there when we took over the human colony of Reach. I was naught but a minor Elite then, but look at me now! Leader of this band on Orean, and no one can stand in my way!" A tap on his shoulder made the Elite turn around.  
"You make me sick." James's fist came faster than the Elite could see. He gasped aloud and was flung across the room. James followed him and punched him hard three times in the chest. Then, he pulled him upright, head-butted him, kneed him twice more in the chest, and punched his head twice more. "The Covenant will fall, Zaran! I was a Marine when Reach fell, not even stationed on that planet, but I know the pain and grief of the families that lost loved ones. And you gloat like it's the best thing in the universe!"  
Zaran's head rolled back, his eyes fluttering. He was barely clinging to life. "The universe is a vast place, Commander," Zaran said quietly.  
James growled aloud and hurled the Elite against the wall. The back of Zaran's helmet cracked and he stumbled forward. James came in again and punched him twice in the chest and once more in the head. "Don't you get it, Zaran?" he roared. "Humans will win against the Covenant because we have something to fight for! Freedom!" Zaran slumped to the ground.  
"Are you going to kill me?" he asked tersely. "You can right now, Commander. It is your right. You have defeated me in battle and now it's your honor to kill me. I won't try and stop you." As Zaran spoke, he pressed a miniscule button on his wrist. A small light snapped on just above it.  
"No, I won't kill you!" James hissed, crouching and pulling Zaran close. "That's not the way humans do things. But I will tell you what is going to happen to you. I'm going to take you with me; you're a valuable asset to the UNSC. We could use someone like you that knows everything the Covenant plans to do." James removed the ammo clip from his M6D and showed the last bullet in the clip to Zaran. "This bullet has your name on it."  
A shaking rocked the ship. James moved to the controls and gripped the height joystick. He grabbed it and positioned it down, then locked it like that. Moving over to the console right next to it, he shut off the engines and activated the reserve boosters. The ship would land safely now.  
James looked out the side of the ship to see Covenant forces on their way. "Did you call them?" he growled, whirling back to Zaran. The Elite was gone. James's head flashed around, and he saw Zaran holding a standard S2 AM Sniper's Rifle. He was aiming it out the hole down below him. In his sights was the moving Warthog, which was being pursued by the Flood. The crosshairs moved right over Farr 'Tenglannee.  
Though the Commander didn't know who Zaran was targeting, it obviously wasn't the Covies. He leaped forward and knocked the gun just before it went off. The bullet still traveled and struck Farr in his left arm. He screamed aloud and toppled from the Warthog.  
James grabbed the rifle and knocked Zaran over the head with it. "Killer!" he cried. "You murder without remorse! I have beaten the living tar out of you, and yet you still can't stop killing!"  
Zaran laughed. "I figure if you're going to kill me, I might as well kill that traitor before I die, eh, Commander?" He laughed again and James shot him in the chest with his pistol, causing the Elite to fall back and sit on the ground, staring up at him. "You're going to kill me, Commander. I can feel it in my bones."  
Then, James realized it. Zaran was trying to get killed so he wouldn't be tortured or give up any information that would be vital to the cause of the Covenant. As he was pondering this over, another figure got up behind him. He spun to see Targon standing up, his wounds on his chest from the plasma healing rapidly. His crushed throat was almost back to full size. "Forgot to mention it, Zaran," Targon laughed as Zaran looked on in horror, "I can heal very, very, quickly!"  
Targon leaped at James, and landed in front of him. He opened his tooth- rimmed mouth as wide as it would go and started his howl. "Kee—" James clamped his massive hand over the Howler's mouth, dug in his fingers, and glared at him, frowning under his helmet. "Two words for you, Targon," James muttered. "Shut....up!" He flung Targon backwards roughly, and punched him once. The Howler cartwheeled his arms...and fell from the ship out the very hole his now-fallen teammate had made for James.  
James spun to face Zaran, who was lying painfully on the ground. "You're next if you betray me, Zaran!" Just then, he heard the sounds of Banshees and Ghosts in the distance, followed by the unmistakable whine of the Covenant dropship engines. The Commander snatched Zaran up and growled, "Did you call them?" Zaran didn't respond. "Did you?" he hissed, shaking the Elite violently. When there was no response, James flung Zaran to the floor in disgust and moved back to the hole.  
He could see them now. Three dropships, eight Ghosts, and two Banshees—it was obviously Zaran that had called them, but he didn't know if his friends on the ground would be able to stop them from boarding the ship. Then, a dropship popped right into sight in the hole. One side of it hissed open and a line of Grunts started to hop into the Winter.  
The M6D pistol cracked twice, and two Grunts fell, both dead from headshots. A Grunt came in waving a needler, and James sprinted behind a console as the needles fired at him, tracking his movement. They stuck into his armor and detonated, removing his shields. "Stupid needlers," he muttered. Then, he leaned up and fired two more shots, taking down two more Grunts.  
Three more Grunts dove into the ship. James shot one in its methane tank, and the force of the expelling gas sent the body spinning like a top. The Commander shot another in the leg, and the final Grunt twice in the chest. They both fell, mortally wounded or dead.  
James looked to his left and saw Zaran leaping past him. He was headed for the door. "No, you don't!" James shouted. He slammed a fresh clip into the pistol and aimed for the grenade he had set earlier. When he was sure he had it lined up by following the reticule in his HUD, James pulled the trigger. The grenade went off with a whumping noise, and sent Zaran flying across the room. He slumped against the side, unconscious.  
  
Farr 'Tenglannee didn't even see the shot coming. He screamed aloud when the bullet from the rifle hit him in the arm, and he toppled from the Warthog. Alex and Bryce didn't notice at first, but then they saw the Flood swarming over his body Alex took immediate action. Using a one-hundred-and- eighty degree spin technique he had learned in training, Alex would to turn back for Farr.  
He floored the 'Hog as far as it would go to build up speed for the spin. Then, he pulled up the handbrake, released the gas, spun the wheel, and hit the gas again after releasing the brake. The Warthog turned right around, coming to rest in the opposite direction. Alex released the handbrake, jammed the gas, and Bryce leaned out the side. He took out his pistol and started shooting the Flood that were on top of Farr. When they got within a hairsbredth, Bryce snatched the Elite and hauled him aboard.  
Farr was laid in the passenger's seat and fixed up with some biofoam. After that stunt, it wasn't long before the two Spartans heard the roar of Covenant vehicles coming in the distance. They barely had any weaponry left, so it would definitely be a miracle if they survived this encounter. One of the dropships headed for the Winter, and the other two started to land and deploy their cargo (Covie warriors).  
"We're moving into the trees," Alex said and gunned the engine. The Warthog shot into the treeline. Alex stopped the vehicle and they all got out to wacth.  
The Covenant ships unloaded their warriors and fired plasma as they left from the underside of the ships, which was of little use against the Flood. Just then, the Banshees roared overhead, and the eight Ghosts came into view. It was going to be a firefight between the Flood and Covies before they came after the Spartans.  
Combat forms fired their stolen shotguns, killing the Grunts very quickly, and in large numbers they fell easily to the Flood. Infection forms swarmed over the Covenant and infected them to bring them to the Flood's side. Carrier forms wobbled into the field and detonated when they were shot or fell to release more of the infection forms.  
Although it seemed like the battle was moving for the Flood, the Covies weren't done yet. Ghosts came flying into the battle and easily started killing groups of combat forms without problems. Their plasma weapons were of little use, but they could gore their adversaries on the Ghost's front end. Flood fought back bravely and rather mindlessly, but it was the Covies that pushed them back in the end, although their numbers were significantly dwindled. The Flood retreated into the forest, leaving the Covenant to search for the Spartans.  
  
James's shotgun, which he had found in a weapons locker while the Covenant ship was spinning around to drop off more troops, went off. A Jackal that was hopping into the ship with its shield at its side screamed and fell from sight.  
Four more Jackals jumped in and fired their guns, cackling madly. They all wielded plasma weaponry, and searched the room for James, who was out of sight, as if he had vanished into thin air. The Jackals moved about the bridge room, looking under computers and chairs, but not finding a single thing.  
One Jackal moved over to a weapons locker and opened it. He was met by the muzzle of a shotgun right at his face. The shotgun went off and he screamed...his head was gone, blown to bits by the sheer power of the weapon. As the body fell backwards, James leaped from his hiding spot and fired again, and again. Two more Jackals fell, and the final one spun to face James. His shotgun banged again, and the final Jackal collapsed, dead. He wasn't doing too shabby for being alone with very little ammo.  
However, after Grunts and Jackals always came one thing: Elites. The most ruthless, vile, evil warriors in the Covenant, serving as the shock troops, Elites were extremely deadly in combat. James didn't know how many would be deployed, or if he could destroy all of them. It was time to find out.  
The clattering talons of five Elites jumping into the ship sounded like thunder as it echoed throughout the bridge. Three Elites were blue, one was red, and the last was gray. The one in gray smiled and flicked his belt, shimmered, and vanished. James raised his shotgun and fired at an Elite, who stumbled backwards as his shield flared. James fired again and then once more. The Elite's shield failed, and James shot him in the head. The Elite howled aloud and fell to the ground, dead.  
The other two blues advanced. The red looked to be waiting for their comrades to attack, and the gray was nowhere to be seen. James reached for his pouched belt that hung about his waist—to find he was out of shotgun ammo. Throwing the gun down in disgust, James drew his assault rifle and aimed at the nearest blue Elite. Then, he squeezed the trigger.  
Shields flashed across the body of the Elite, shimmered, and failed. The Elite roared and fell, dead. His buddy leaped at the Commander, grabbing him into a head-lock. The red Elite punched his helmet, cracking his visor in yet another place. Punches started to come from nowhere; The stealth Elite was striking. James activated a grenade and slapped it into the back of the Elite holding him.  
James jumped away as the Elite roared in anger. James pulled the trigger of his assault weapon just as the blue Elite was about to rush him. The plasma grenade went off and the Elite flew into the air, dead. The red Elite's shield failed, and James ripped into him with his MA5B, not letting up on the trigger. When the Elite fell, James slammed a fresh clip into his gun and looked around the room for the Spec Ops Elite.  
Then, a punch came. James grabbed hold of his attacked stomach, dropping his gun, which clattered to the deckplates. Another punch at his back, legs, knee, stomach again, helmet, neck, left side, right side, chest, and then helmet once more. James gasped and fell backwards.  
The Spec Ops Elite laughed as he reappeared. The Elite reached down to pick up James's weapon, but the Spartan lunged for it, aimed up, and fired. The Elite started to activate his stealth, but the bullets ripped into the device and fried it. Then, shields failed, and the Elite fell to the hail of bullets.  
James put a fresh clip into his gun and then watched the counter in his HUD and on the gun jump back to 60. Zaran was sitting up next to a console, watching as James slung the gun on his back and dumped the bodies out the hole. The ship was slowly setting itself back onto the ground. The Spartan had won the battle...for now.  
In the weapons lockers, James found nearly a dozen more clips for his assault rifle and pocketed them all. Then, he took all the M6D ammo he could find, along with more frag grenades. He was completely maxed out on ammo by the time he was done.  
"You are very formidable in combat," Zaran mumbled as he massaged his left eye, where James had shot him. "That I must give you credit for, Commander."  
  
"Covenant forces inbound," Alex said, holding up his hand. "Wait before you fire. On my mark." The Ghosts started to advance towards the line of trees where the Spartans and Elite rebel hid, trying to saty out of sight. Two Banshees roared overhead, and the dropships had pulled away. Probably going back to the last remaining Covenant outpost to bring more forces.  
"Mark." Alex raised his M6D and opened fire. An Elite on the Ghost watched as his shields flared. Two shots later, they died. The next shot was to the head. As the Elite fell from his hoversled, it swerved to the side and rammed into another Ghost. The two of them immediately exploded—metal from the first had torn into the fuel tank on the second—and they both clattered to the ground, reduced to piles of slag.  
Bryce's pistol rang out twice, and the shields of another Elite failed. The next shot hit his head and he fell as well. This Ghost didn't hit any other Ghosts, unfortunately for the Spartans.  
Farr 'Tenglannee was focusing more on the Banshees. He had scaled a tree and was watching from the highest limb. The two air vehicles screamed overhead, and Farr loosed a plasma grenade from his belt. It was the last one he had, so he had to make this throw count. They were flying side-by- side, which would make his job easier. Farr lit the grenade and hurled it upwards. The little devil attached itself onto the left side of the left ship. In four seconds, it went off. The Banshee exploded, and slammed into the one next to it because of the force of the sideways motion. They both fell from the sky and crashed into the forest.  
"This is an insane fight," Bryce said as he destroyed another Ghost. "They're going to get more reinforcements and then we're done for. I'm almost out of ammo for this thing."  
"There's only five Ghosts left. They can't get us as long as we stay in the line of trees. Just keep firing your pistol, soldier!" Alex's pistol cracked thrice, and another Elite fell. This one hit another sled in the process. These two took out a third, a lucky break for the humans. "See that?" Alex said quickly. "Only two left." He reloaded and took aim again.  
Bang! Bang! Bang! The pistol went off three times; two for shields and one head-shot. Another Elite toppled to the ground and his sled stopped almost instantly. Alex sprinted into the open and fired once more. The final Elite howled in pain and toppled off his sled. They had won...for the time being.  
"Quickly!" Alex ordered. "Commandeer these sleds. We're going to find that outpost James mentioned and destroy it. I've got some ammo from the Warthog, so let's use it." They spread it evenly throughout the group. Each of them chose a Ghost and got onto it. Farr seemed a bit more skilled in using it than the Spartans, but they all seemed competant enough.  
In a V-shaped formation, Alex at the lead, Farr to his right and Bryce on his left, the tiny group of Ghosts made its way into the forest in the direction the Covies had come. They wanted to destroy the outpost themselves. 


	26. Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26  
Inside Jason, the Flood infection form turned his incredible anger into extreme rage. His arms literally trembled as he faced the Flood before him. In the garbled speech, they spoke to him, voicing their opinions and telling Jason their fears, their concerns, and their goals. With a wave of his arm, Jason silenced them all. The time had come for the Spartans and the Covenant to fall, and for the Flood to be victorious!  
"We will crush their resistance!" Jason howled aloud in the rumbling Flood speech. "We will tear down their ships and destroy everything they have worked so hard to create to destroy us. The time had come for the Flood to rise and destroy all that is against us, and all that oppose us!"  
Cheers, in the form of growls, followed, and the Flood moved toward the Pillar of Winter. Their time had come.  
  
1545 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Bridge of the UNSC battle cruiser Pillar of Winter  
  
Zazag, Yoyor and Jajar (who had hidden out amongst the trees during the battle) had gotten into the Pillar of Winter as it settled back onto the ground. Moving with glee, followed by their team of Grunts, they jumped into the shattered cockpit, and landed on the deckplates. Looking around, it didn't take Zazag long to spot Zaran propped up against the wall, nearly dead.  
"Excellency! We cannot tell you how glad we are to find you alive!" he screeched, moving forward.  
"Fools! It's a trap!" Zaran growled, moaning through the pain.  
Then, a towering, nearly seven-foot-tall warrior clad in a green suit jumped from behind a table to the left and fired an M6D pistol. Two Grunts behind Zazag collapsed, dead. Zazag jumped to the left and yelled. "Fire!"  
Nine Grunts, part of a team that had hidden out while the battle was taking place, jumped out and opened fire as James landed. He watched as bullets pinged from his flaring shields, and fired five more shots. Four Grunts fell. James reloaded and fired three more times, watched as three Grunts fell, their methane bubbling onto their chests, and then the pistol cracked twice more, and the final two Grunts, Yoyor and Jajar, collapsed, dead almost instantly.  
James swooped in and grabbed Zazag by his helmet and shook him violently. "Where is the Covenant outpost?" he growled, still shaking the screaming Grunt. "Tell me or you die!"  
"He will kill you anyway," Zaran mumbled.  
The pistol cracked once more and Zaran fell silent, the bullet lodged just above his left leg wound. "Yes, cyborg, how do I know you will not kill me even after I tell you what you want to know?" he spat, growling low after he was finished.  
"I will kill you either way, Covenant filth!" James returned coldly. "But I will make it slow and painful if you don't tell me!" he roared. Zazag reached up and pointed to the flickering map screen.  
"Several miles to the west, you'll find our last outpost," he mumbled and James raised his pistol, aiming the muzzle at Zazag's head.  
"You've been most helpful." As he squeezed the trigger, Zaran kicked James in the shin. Although it didn't hurt, the blow took him by surprise, and he dropped the Grunt, who screamed and hurried under his legs. James spun around and Zazag jumped up and punched him hard in the face. The Spartan's head snapped back and he stumbled. Then, Zazag scurried across the floor and leaped out the cracked window as James grabbed his gun and fired. The 12.7mm semi-armor-piercing bullets pinged off metal as Zazag escaped.  
Zazag landed painfully on his visor, hitting the dusty grass face-first with a loud thud and letting out a tiny "Oof!" as he hit. The little Grunt flopped onto his rear, sitting with his legs spread and his arms in his lap. As he hung his head and sat there, trying to recover from the fall, he heard a noise and his head snapped up. A Flood infection form leaped at him, and Zazag screamed. He jumped up and scrambled out of the way in time to watch the infection form sail past him and pop on a rock. He scurried up onto the hull, but two more infection forms leaped onto his back and weighed him to the ground. He opened his eyes after falling again only to stare into the blank, white eyes of a combat form. It was Jason towering over him.  
"Infect him!" Jason commanded. Screams and wails followed, then, Zazag was silent. He had become one of the Flood.  
Inside the ship, James crossed the room and slapped Zaran hard over the head. "At least I've still got you. I think it's time I lift this thing back up and go—"  
Just then, the crack in the bridge leading to the outside spread open further, and infection forms came flooding in. They were flanked by Jason, who was growling and waving his tentacles around madly. "Get him!" Jason looked around the bridge, realizing that the Commander had gone. "Where is he?" Jason thundered.  
Zaran reached up and pointed his claw down the hall. "That way," he mumbled and slipped back into unconsciousness.  
Jason thundered across the bridge and through the doorway. At the same time, James scrambled down the large hall where he had fought the Spec Ops Elites, snatched one of the Active Camouflage (AC) belt and slapped it onto his waist. With a quick flick of his wrist, James spun the dial and faded from view. Slowing his breathing, the Commander pressed himself against the right bulkhead as Jason and the other Flood came into view at the end of the room.  
"I sense him somewhere in this room!" Jason roared, sniffing. How that monstrosity could still smell was beyond James, but he held his breath and waited. Jason drew nearer to him and looked straight at him. His vision was obviously impaired from being a Flood as he didn't notice the air shimmering the way it did on that area of the bulkhead. He turned to face the other direction and James reached above him.  
"What are you doing?" Darkel hissed. The Commander couldn't respond without attracting attention. He had taken the AI before he left the bridge and inserted him into the slot on the back of his helmet.  
Noiselessly, the Commander pulled himself up onto a girder and drew his assault rifle, silently clicking a new clip into place. Then, he easily took aim at Jason and clicked off the safety.  
Mistake. Jason heard the noise and spun around. He wrapped a tentacle around a girder and shot into the air, landing on one of the crossbeams as the rifle went off. Bullets missed him by inches, pinging off the metal deckplates. "I have him!" he roared. One of his tentacles shot forward and smashed into James's emerald chest, causing his camo to fail and making him topple from his perch. The MA5B went skittering across the floor and the Flood leaped at him, their tentacles snapping.  
James punched one and caused it to explode, and then several others went with it. Using one hand, James pushed himself across the slick floor and came to rest beside his assault rifle. Picking it up, he leaped to his feet and pressed down on the trigger. His ammo counter quickly went down. In no time, he was out. He pulled the clip out and slammed a fresh one into the slot. Then, he started backing towards a tunnel labeled, 'Engine Core.'  
Jason saw the movement and leaped from his perch, heading back towards the bridge. "Combat forms, take him!" he growled. Then, when he reached the bridge, he threw himself up into the vents, closing off his path behind him. In his mind, he knew what James was going to do, and he didn't want to be in the middle of it.  
Sprinting as fast as he could go, James moved through the door, fired several shots behind him, loosed a frag grenade and hurled it, then moved down two flights of stairs. He hurried past several doors, down one more flight of stairs, and then finally arrived in the room he was looking for. In the middle of the room glowed a light red beam, which was shot from floor to ceiling, or perhaps vice versa. This type of engine was being tested in the Winter, but it was highly reactive. However, it did provide fuel much more effectively than anything nuclear. If anything got in the beam, the force would rocket the beam outwards, and the energy bounced off metal, but didn't go through it, however.  
James's shields were fully powered, but his health was barely high enough for this sort of work. He pulled a medkit from his belt and popped off a piece of his armor. He patched up a mark in his skin where the Flood had bitten him, bandaged it up, and then replaced the shoulder pad. He discarded the empty medkit and then sucked in a deep breath. He knew what he had to do.  
Mustering up his courage, James vaulted over the rim and landed in the slightly pinkish beam.  
  
Farr 'Tenglannee, Alex Daufel and Bryce McClain moved swiftly through the tangle of trees on their hoversleds known to humans as Ghosts. On the way, they voiced their plan aloud. "We'll come at the outpost from the front," Farr said loudly over the roar of the Banshees' engines. "The outpost isn't very large. Only a docking bay for vehicles on the bottom and then a weapons room in the middle, and finally the control room on the very top floor. The top floor is where we need to be."  
"So we'll have to battle our way through, am I right?" Alex asked, gripping the controls and trying to accelerate faster. "From bottom to top?"  
"Correct," Farr said, nodding.  
"Typical," Bryce sighed. "Especially because we're running low on ammo."  
"Once we get to the second floor, ammo won't be a problem," Farr pointed out. "Besides, defenses in the docking bay and ammo rooms are bound to be very limited. However, we will have to get inside the compound first."  
"Will that be hard?" Alex asked.  
Farr only had time to smile before a column of dirt erupted beside Alex's Ghost. He swerved away as Farr screamed out, "Sniper Elites!" The Spartans looked on and realized that he was correct. A line of green Elites was standing on top of the control room of the outpost (which was tiny compared to Fortress Orean) and aiming plasma-fueled sniper's rifles at them, each one firing every few seconds, taking it in turns to fire a constant stream at the approaching Ghosts.  
The team of Spartans and the rebel swerved as they broke through the line of trees and came into another sandy field. Seven Shades, lined on a ledge just below the Sniper Elites, each holding a Grunt gunner, swiveled and opened fire. Dust, dirt and grass alike exploded into the air around the fast-moving Ghosts as they advanced towards the outpost.  
Purplish-blue plasma fired from the Ghost and ripped into the implanted Shades. Within seconds of firing, two Shades had melted away. With more firing, two Sniper Elites were reduced to burning stumps. That left five Shades and six Sniper Elites left, and each one of them still fired relentlessly upon the three Ghosts.  
Two plasma bullets whizzed mercilessly past Alex's head, and he squeezed the trigger on the Ghost's controls. Bolts of plasma shot from the main turrets, aimed upward, and burned away two more Sniper Elites on the spot.  
"Charge for the doors!" Farr cried. On the bottom of the outpost were two large docking bay doors. The Grunts and Jackals were working furiously to get the slow-moving doors to snap shut, and the Ghosts were approaching fast.  
"Hurry it up!"  
Within almost seconds, the three Ghosts shot past the Snipers and zoomed through the doors. Farr went through first, with plenty of space, Alex second, with just enough space. As Bryce approached, he realized he would not have enough room, so he slowly stood up on his vehicle and leaped through the doors just as they snapped shut. His Ghost exploded upon impact with the door after it had closed.  
The interior of the docking bay was not as large as the Spartans and Farr had expected. The ceiling only rose up to twenty feet, and was barely high enough to house a Wraith tank, of which there were none. All along the left wall were countless rows of Ghosts, lined up and ready for combat, glowing purple in the dim light. Lined up along the right wall were, again, rows upon rows of Shadow carriers. Designed to look much like a Warthog, the Shadows were a Covenant version of the LRVs. Finally, lined along the ceiling were rows of Banshees, easily accessible by pressing a button located on the side wall that operated the cranes holding the flying one- man vehicles in place.  
All along the walls were glowing purple symbols, and the same was true with the floor and ceiling. Each one covered with strange purple markings that glowed an eerie purplish-whitish-blue hue. Not only were there vehicles and markings, but several rows of Grunts stood between them and the lift on the far wall leading up to the next level.  
Farr jumped sideways off his Ghost, and the abandoned vehicle's momentum kept it going. It careened into some unwary Grunts, who were mushed almost instantly. Nearly half their forces were already depleted. Alex hopped backwards, allowing his Ghost to continue uninterrupted. Unfortunately, the Grunts and Jackals had become more cautious and all of them leaped out of the way (save for an unlucky Jackal that got caught up in the rush from the Ghost's path and splattered against the walls and floor with no help at all from his instantly-shattered plasma shield).  
As Bryce landed, he rolled across the floor and snapped upright, kneeling down and drawing his MA5B assault rifle into position. With the single clip found in the Warthog's storage already in it, Bryce placed his finger on the trigger and squeezed. A hail of 7.62mm armor piercing bullets flew faster than the blink of an eye and cut into the Grunt masses. Several of the vaguely simianlike aliens screamed aloud and collapsed, hit in the chest. Others, when struck in the faceplate, suffocated as methane bubbled onto their suits, methane used to simulate their own frozen homeplanet.  
However, masses of Grunts poured from the lift, and started to advance towards Bryce as he switched to the shotgun and continued firing. Farr was working on something over on a computer console—who knew what?—and Alex was nowhere to be seen.  
"Little help here!" Bryce called, starting to get worried He had only three shots before he would have to reload.  
Just then, Bryce heard a tinking sound. The rest of the Grunts heard it, too, because they froze and then scattered. A fragmentation grenade went off with a loud wumpf! and tossed the carcasses of dead Grunts high into the air. Those luckier were further away, and their reward was to be impaled by shrapnel. Two more tinks occurred on the outskirts of the group, and the Grunts surged towards the center. Another to explosion followed, and then a third that was an obvious ambush, finishing off the rest of the Grunts.  
General Alex Daufel dropped from a grated catwalk above and smiled under his helmet. "Good work, soldier," he commented to Bryce as the two of them joined Farr at the console. "What are you trying to do, rebel?" Alex muttered under his breath, his weapon trained on the lift that was sitting motionless.  
"I think it would be benificial to take a more direct route upstairs than the lift. There's bound to be Jackals and Elites guarding upstairs waiting in ambush. In the ammo area, they don't mess around, and I doubt Grunts are even allowed into the control room itself, let alone appreciated in the ammo level. I say we head through, once again, the vent system and make our way up from there. According to this map," he said, pointing with a clawed hand to the screen, "it will take us to the left wall of the room, where we can ambush the stronger enemies, stock up, and head to the small control room."  
"And once that's done," Bryce finished, "we can pick up our Commander and get off this rock."  
Farr and Alex both smiled. However, before they knew what had happened, two gun muzzles were digging into each of their heads, and a gruff voice sounded. Farr happened to glance upwards, and saw a flash of mutated flesh in the vents. "Don't say a word," the voice said and brought him back to reality, "drop your guns and back away from the console."  
Busted. 


	27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27  
  
1616 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Engine Core of the UNSC battle cruiser Pillar of Winter, also known as the Heart of the Winter  
  
The Commander could not explain what happened next. He had been expecting such a reaction from the core when a strange being came into contact with it. Shields instantly dropped, and then his health began to deplete, one bar from his HUD for every ten seconds he was in contact with the core.  
On the flip side, one of the most pleasant reactions occurred. Pink energy of the core exploded outward, spreading through the ship and bouncing from the metal walls, however not going through the sheet metal plating. When it reached the Flood, they screamed and howled in pain, popping almost instantly. The waves and sheets of rolling pink energy bounced through the ship, but stopped before they reached the control room as James pried himself away from the core.  
Every single Flood form had been obliterated from the Winter, but James had stopped the flow deliberately. Zaran was much too valuable to lose, and with a single touch of the power, he would die.  
The Commander collapsed onto the deckplates, panting and gasping for breath. He was on all-fours as he struggled to collect himself and see the world around him. On his HUD, the display showed no shields and one bar of health left. He was on his last limb here, but he was not one to give up so easily. His HUD was bright white and nearly opaque. Now that he had obliterated the entirety of the Flood, he had to win the war. Slowly and painfully, he arrived in the medical room as his HUD cleared.  
"Are you sure that was a good idea? You came near death, Commander," came Darkel's voice, full of concern for his new partner.  
"It worked, didn't it?" James replied tersely. Darkel hadn't spoken in a while. Perhaps he had just been watching the action.  
"But what if it hadn't? I might have fallen into the wrong hands?" Darkel pressed.  
"Let it go," James mumbled.  
Over in a corner of the nursing room, the Spartan located a suspended spinning device designed to recover his shield and health instantly. Switching it on, James stood under it as the metal arms swung around and around. Almost seconds later, James felt better as his health bars regained themselves and his shields jumped back to full. Minutes later, he was in the weapons room, restocking his ammo, and then down in the docking bay, locating a Warthog for the trip to the last outpost. He couldn't fly this tub, her core was gone and she wouldn't be able to fly until the core recharged itself.  
James slung his ammo and weapons of choice—an M6D pistol and a shotgun—into the passenger's seat. Then, he started the engine with the push of a button and pressed lightly on the accelerator. The Warthog eased from its parking space, separated from other spaces by large metal pipes, and James slowly turned to the right. He drove down a ramp and turned left, then waited patiently as the docking bay door hissed open. A ramp slid down to meet the ground, and James slammed on the accelerator and shot down it, heading west in the direction of the last outpost and his captured friends.  
  
Alex fell to his knees in front of an Elite wearing golden armor named Gashean 'Fronolee, with sheet metal ringing as he collapsed onto his hands and knees, his helmet broken in three places. On the left wall of the room, Farr 'Tenglannee was chained by his wrist, ankles, waist and neck, held up by the strong links and plasma-bands around his limbs, preventing him from moving.  
The courageous Elite rebel had been tortured for several minutes beforehand, but no information had been gotten from him about the whereabouts of Commander James Carser, the Pillar of Winter, or the battle cruiser Constitution, which was hidden from view just above the atmosphere where it was hiding in wait for the Spartans to return from their moon trekking.  
"Talk to me human!" Gashean growled, hoisting Alex to his feet and dangling him about the ground. "Tell me where your Commander is, filth!" he spat, shaking the Spartan violently.  
"I don't know!"  
"Then where is the battleship above the atmosphere?"  
"I don't know!"  
"Do you take me for a fool?" Gashean roared, slamming the General against the wall of the outpost, rocking the entire floor and causing onlooking Grunts, Jackals, and Elites to cringe. "That a member of the crew doesn't know where his ship is located at all times?"  
"I'm not a member of the crew!" Alex growled and Gashean tossed him to the floor. Alex tried to roll up to his feet but Gashean pressed his claw on top of Alex's back and slammed him into the metal floor.  
"Not a member?" Gashean repeated, aiming a plasma pistol at Alex's head. "Elaborate, cyborg. Tell me what you mean!"  
Alex struggled to choke out, "They came to help us!" A Grunt jumped forward howling about calling Gashean 'Excellency' and aiming a gun at his head. Gashean himself knocked the Grunt off his feet with his own gun and sent the unfortunate being sprawling backwards, laying spread-eagled on the floor, unconscious.  
"Then do you really think I believe the fact that you don't know where your Commander is or where the Winter is? What a pack of lies, cyborg!" Gashean spat, a hint of a growl in his voice.  
"I don't know!"  
Gashean punched Alex hard in the stomach and let him fall to the floor, gasping for breath. Alex rolled onto his back and Gashean pushed his talon cruelly into Alex's stomach. "If you know nothing, then my time with you has come to an end."  
As two Jackals moved over with weapons in their hands, Alex jumped up and kicked the nearest in his shin. He grabbed the weapon as it flew into the air and shot one of Farr's bonds. He then spun and shot the second Jackal down, then fired at two more of the bolts. Both of Farr's legs and his right arm were released. Farr grabbed a nearby Grunt and hoisted him from the ground, strangling him.  
Alex spun to fire at Gashean, but the Elite General was one step ahead of him. Before Alex could raise his weapon and fire, Gashean knocked him backwards and pointed a plasma rifle at his chest. "Don't move, or you die, cyborg."  
Just then, a Grunt came running up, panic in his voice. "Excellency!" he cried, addressing Gashean. "Approaching human vehicle coming in fast, firing guns at the outpost!"  
"What are you doing about it?!" Gashean roared.  
The Grunt's reply was rushed and worried. "Sniper Elites are firing at it, and we've got Shades shooting—" Gashean knocked him to the ground and lifted Alex to face him. "If this is your Commander," he hissed, "you can consider him dead." With that, he hurled Alex to the ground and stalked from the room.  
  
"I hope you know what you're doing."  
"Don't worry about it, Darkel," Commander James Carser said as he floored the pedal of the Warthog. Steering carefully with one hand, the Commander raised his M6D pistol to his eye and flipped on the 2X scope. Looking carefully through it, James fired three times, killing a Sniper Elite and causing him to tumble from the roof. "It's under control," came his gruff voice again. He sounded much like the Master Chief.  
Three more pistol shots rang out, and caused a chain reaction James had not expected when he made the shot. The Grunt fell from his ledge and landed on top of the gunner at the end of a line of Shades. The turret flipped around in the confusion of the two Grunts and accidentally fired on its neighbors. Plasma bolts from the middle turret blasted upwards, shattering the metal platform and sending the Sniper Elites careening to the level below. In six shots, James had eliminated the entire threat of Snipers and Shades.  
"What if that hadn't worked?" Darkel asked in an irritated tone.  
"Just be grateful it did," James muttered under his breath. Within moments, they had zipped past the defenses and reached the closed docking bay doors. James slammed his boot down on the pedal, but suddenly he saw a flash of green to his left. Before he knew what was happening, the Warthog flipped toward the right and threw James roughly to the ground. He landed with a hard thump! and saw two Hunters advancing on him from the left. Drawing his pistol and reloading it with three quick movements (unlocking the chamber, clicking out the cartridge, and slamming in a fresh one), James aimed the M6D towards the Hunters and watched as their spines flexed on their backs.  
"Now you've done it!" Darkel thundered.  
A Hunter on the left aimed his fuel rod cannon towards the Spartan and watched as the green energy sizzled on the tip. "Move!" Darkel commanded.  
"Shut up!" James roared as the bolt whizzed by his head. Enraged now, the Hunter ducked low, extended its spiny back to the full three feet, placed its shield out in front, and charged. The Commander sidestepped to the left, circled around, and placed a single 12.7mm bullet in the Hunter's back. With a roar, the mighty monster collapsed, dead. Follwing suit, the second Hunter fired its fuel rod cannon, but this one fired twice; James ducked under the first and sidestepped the second. Then, he ran forward, ducked around a charge, and put the Hunter to rest.  
"See?" James said to Darkel as he pried the docking doors open with his Spartan armor. "Easy as pie."  
"Whatever you say," Darkel grumbled from somewhere in James's head.  
The Spartan raised his shotgun and hurled two grenades at the door. When it blew inward and collapsed, two Grunts came to meet him, so he fired at one. The bullets knocked into the first Grunt's body, went through, killing him instantly, and stuck into the chest of the second. Both of them collapsed as James aimed at a charging Elite. "Grobyc mucs!" The Elite roared in the garbled language they often spoke.  
"Say goodnight!" James roared and squeezed the trigger. The Elite's shield failed with the first shot, and he collapsed with the second. The Commander sprinted over to the lift and reloaded his shotgun, opening the barrel and stuffing the chamber full of rounds. As he worked, he pressed the button for the lift and waited as the platform started to rise. Shadows passed longingly over the lift's bottom as the Spartan vanished from sight.  
When the lift halted again, James silently sprinted from it and spun off to the left, hiding around a corner. He peeked his head around the side and saw six simianlike Grunts roaming the halls, along with four Jackals and a pair of red-clad Elites. James switched to his M6D and fired twice, aiming for two headshots. Two Grunts dropped like bricks, and the rest jumped at the sound. Another shot rang, and a Jackal fell in a pool of his own blood, dead instantly from a shot to the head.  
Moving with the grace of a cat, James rolled across the floor with the tiniest of sounds and ducked underneath a computer console. Two Grunts hurried by, flanked by one of the Elites. James raised the muzzle of his shotgun and fired upwards from the low overhang of the console—the Elite dropped to the ground from a shot to his unprotected head and the Grunts spun around, only to be shot in the chest by a shotgun...one round for each.  
The remaining two Grunts, three Jackals and Elite searched the room wildly for the one causing all this mayhem, the one being they could not see. Realizing he still had the Cammo Belt from the Spec Ops Elites on his waist, James twisted the controls and vanished instantly. He calmly stepped from under cover and rolled a frag grenade into the small group.  
Several minutes later, James took off his damaged belt and set it aside. It had gotten caught in the shrapnel of the explosion minutes before and been damaged beyond repair. After setting it aside, he noticed he could hear movement on the floor above him. Sounded like two forms being roughly pushed around...probably his friends got themselves captured. James moved over to a large rack—containing stolen human weaponry—and selected a large M19 SSM Jackhammer Launcher and pulled several rounds of ammo, as many as he could carry, from the racks. With that, he slung them over his back and moved to the window. Several well-placed shots from his pitol shattered the glass, and he was free to scale the outer wall...  
  
"You'll learn to despise the day you meddled in my affairs, cyborg!" Gashean growled, forcing his men to shove Alex to his knees before him. He turned to his Grunt henchman and asked quietly, "What of the Commander? Have you caught him?"  
The Grunt was afraid to report failure, but he went against his natural gut instinct and answered with full honesty. "We lost him. He obliterated the docking bay and ammo room defens—aaaaaaahhhhh!" The Grunt found himself on the floor with a plasma wound on his chest, laying in his own blood, dead.  
"Idiot, if only I—" Just then, the glass behind the Elite General shattered. Master Commander James Carser balanced on the edge and wielded a large Jackhammer launcher.  
"Covenant reign of terror on this moon is over!" he thundered and raised the rocket launcher. Quickly, he squeezed the trigger, aiming for the floor beneath Gashean's feet. With this blast, the Elite General was tossed high into the air, and he landed across the room, his arm and leg strangely missing. Two Grunts and a Jackal landed near him, followed by two more Elites as James fired again. "Covenant filth!" he spat as he reloaded and fired again. Monitors and consoles sizzled and fried as James spent his last shell on each and every one of them. Then, he hopped to the floor and tossed the Jackhammer as he hauled Farr and Alex to their feet. "Are you two okay?" he asked.  
They nodded, shaking violently.  
"Where is Bryce?" James asked, his stomach knotting in his chest.  
Alex looked out the window and pointed to the roof. "Some Elites are having fun with him up on the roof."  
"I think it's time we put an end to their fun," James said, and the three of them scaled the edge of the outpost, leaving a room full of dead Covenant warriors behind. Not a single one remained alive. The Covies were almost gone from Orean, the only ones left being those on the roof...  
  
1658 Hours, August 13, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Roof of the final Covenant outpost on Orean, moon of planet Raiek  
  
Bryce was bolted by plasma-made chains to three metal weights, being held down from moving. Six Elites were moving around him, unarmed, but having fun taking turns beating him in as many creative ways as they could. They had already kicked him, stepped on him, saw how long he could hold his breath, tried to rip off his limbs, and even threw him from the roof once.  
What the Elites didn't know was that they were the last remaining Covenant forces on the moon, and that their enemies were lying in wait just below the rim of the roof. The Spartans wasted no time in getting started. Alex pulled the pin of a fragmentation grenade and rolled it across the roof. When it exploded, two Elites were tossed from the roof, leaving only four left, one with a lowered shield.  
"What was that?" a familiar voice asked.  
James raised himself onto the roof, distracting the Elites from Alex and Farr, who stood behind them, prepping MA5B assault rifles.  
"Zaran 'Gangolee," James growled. "How did you get here?"  
"Not long after you left," Zaran began, "I was picked up by my own forces and brought back here. They healed me and restored my shield generator. I'm just as dangerous as I ever was, cyborg."  
"We'll see about that."  
The MA5B assault rifles cracked from behind Zaran, and the three Elites on either side of him dropped before they even had time to turn around. The golden Elite seemed impressed, but he tried not to show it. "So what now, Spartan?" Zaran asked, his eyes moving wildly between the Spartan and his friends. "What happens now?"  
James held up a tiny device with a single button. "I got this from the ammo level just before I saved my friends. Now, you say that the Covenant here healed you, but it was plain to see that the Covenant hate you and your ways, and want you dead. It only seems natural that you would be implanted with a fail-safe device during your momentary operation."  
"What are you talking about?" Zaran asked, a quizzical look on his normally hard face. He was obviously very changed after the episode in the Winter. "What kind of fail-safe device?"  
"A fail-safe like this," James said, and pressed the button. Instantly, Zaran's entire body surged with electric energy. He howled aloud in pain and clutched his chest, collapsing to the ground. His shield was gone, and it was obvious his health was draining fast. "They implanted a way to easily get rid of you, Zaran. I read about it when I logged into their computers and revealed their plans. Just in case anything—you know—went wrong."  
"Filth!" Zaran spat, slowly bringing himself to his knees as James released the button. "I'll...kill...you!"  
"I don't think you'll be doing any killing today, Zaran. The battle for Raiek and Orean is over, and you lose." The Commander looked skyward as dropship Foehammer circled down from the skies. "Right on time," he muttered as the rear boarding doors hissed open. A large, burly officer appeared and smiled to the Spartan. "You came!" James called, laughing.  
"Aye, just hoist him up here!" the officer called as James lifted Zaran's limp form and tossed him up into the docking bay. "We'll handle him!"  
"I've got to go back and reclaim the Winter!" James called as he hopped in after Zaran. Bryce, Alex and Farr followed suit after Bryce had been freed from his bonds. "Can you drop us off?" The officer called up to the pilot and then swiveled his head back to look at the towering Spartans and Elite, nodding. "Good!" James said, giving a thumbs-up. The dropship wheeled itself in mid-flight and headed back in the direction of the fallen Winter as the pilot fed the engines fuel. Trees and all kinds of foliage zipped by below them as they flew towards the battle cruiser settled on the ground. In less then three minutes, the towering leviathon of a ship came into view. However, as the Spartans and Elite jumped down and landed in the ship, another being clinging to the bottom dropped with them, plotting his revenge strike.  
"Activate the engines, Alex!" James called as he leaned back in the Captain's chair. Alex's fingers flew over the console and the ship started to rumble. Slowly, the cruiser's engines powered and rattled, and then it kicked up off the ground. "We need to get higher!" Suddenly, the entire ship jolted, and then froze in mid-air. It slowly started to fall towards the ground. "What happened?" James demanded.  
"Analyzing," came Darkel's terse reply.  
Just then, a wave of static blasted over the intercom. James pressed a button and then talked again. "Say again!" he literally screamed into the mic.  
Another wave of static and interrupted messages came through when James released the button, but this time, they could hear the distinct voice of Captain Hank Moores coming through the intercom. "Get........planet......Covenant......EMP......surface!"  
"I heard something about EMP, sir!" Bryce called as he gripped the radar controls. "I say we haul butt faster!"  
"You heard the Chief, General!" James called as Alex kicked the engines into overdrive.  
"I've got it!" Darkel almost yelled in James's ear.  
"What is it?"  
"The Covenant have planted an EMP generator in the core to prevent ultraviolet rays, and radiation from the red giant that could go nova in any year in case it fell to human hands. There is too much knowledge on this planet and computers contain too much information that could be decoded and read to find information of future Covenant strikes. The planet was hot before, and when they deactivate the EMP devices, the planet will be almost instantly fried," Darkel responded flatly. Despite the recent terrifying news, he sounded rather bored to the Commander.  
"We've gotta get off this rock," Bryce muttered.  
"What would they do with the generator?" James asked, a tone of panic hinting vaguely in his bass voice. "How much harm could they do."  
"They could turn it off," Darkel responded without enthusiasum. He was bored.  
"What will that do?"  
Alex pointed towards the window. Swirling purple clouds were tracing across the sky. According to the General, they had just started and were increasing in intensity. "That!" he breathed. "Just like the aurora borealis back on Earth. I used to pay attention in school years ago, and now all that is paying off. The Covenant have deactivated the EMP generator that protected the moon and now we're in big trouble."  
"You're right about one thing!" Jason, the mutant Flood demonlike being, launched himself from a ceiling hatch and sent the Spartans flying towards the door. Farr immediately jumped up and grabbed Jason, trying to wrestle with him and destroy him quickly, even though he was unarmed.  
"Get going!" Farr growled as Jason tossed him across the room. "I'll handle him!"  
Reluctantly, the three remaining Spartans took off at a run down the corridor, Bryce accidently dropping his gun as he ran. James sent a distress beacon as he ran, hoping Foehammer would respond in time to pick them up at the back of the ship. It would be a long run.  
Back in the control room, Farr leaped nimbly aside and landed on all- fours on the floor, several feet away from Jason. As a tentacle lashed out, Farr duck-leaned and used his claws to support his body, and then leaped backwards as another tentacle came his way. He was acrobatic all right, but would it be enough to finish this monster?  
Farr jumped from a computer console as a tendril smashed it to pieces and landed on the floor, rolling to a crouch. He leaped to his talons and whirled around, snatching Bryce's dropped shotgun, firing it. Jason wasn't fast enough to move, and the bullets sent him careening into the far wall. As Farr dropped the weapon and sprinted for the door, he was caught in mid- flight and thrown against the bulkhead, grunting in pain. Jason's tentacle slid from his ankle and Farr slumped to the floor, weakened and discouraged. To the Flood mutant, he looked dead, so Jason shot off after the Spartans.  
  
"We received your distress call, Commander!" a voice spoke loudly through James's mic. "We're on our way! Over."  
"Affirmative!" James said back solemnly. "Over and out," he finished, closing the link and hurrying after his teammates. "Foehammer will be here soon," he reported. His stomach began to knot together as the air around them started to sizzle with heat. Alex told them that the device couldn't be immediately shut off and that it would have to be powered down over the course of half-an-hour to two hours. That was roughly how long they had to get off the moon and survive.  
The remaining three Spartans thundered down the hallway and created such a ruckus that it was not hard for Jason to track them and keep on their trail from unseen areas of the ship, always moving only when they did, stopping when they did to unlock doors, and matching their footsteps exactly. Panic and worry was beginning to settle in over the three of them, but finally they reached the back area of the ship. It was a long catwalklike walkway that extended over a deep chasm, where the bottom of the ship was hardly visible in the dim light. Twenty meters away was the back exit, just to the side of the unlit engines. The exit was, literally, a door, used to evac soldiers in this kind of emergency.  
Back in the control room, Farr slowly pulled himself up, howling with pain from the impact. He figured it best to get the ship off the ground, because the EMP device was slowly turning itself off, and they didn't have much time. He crawled across the bridge, grunting now, and slammed his claw down on the ignition button.  
The Spartans halted when they reached the back room, and steadied themselves as the engines burned into overdrive. The ship quickly launched itself from the ground and shot like a bullet towards the atmosphere above. Moments later, the ship slammed to a halt again. The engines had malfunctioned. It was then that disaster struck yet again. Jason himself dropped from the ceiling panels and wrapped a tentacle around the Commander, knocking him to the ground. Behind the three of them, a panel sprung loose on the bulkhead, and an officer waiting in dropship Foehammer called to them. "We don't have much time!" he yelled, cupping his hands. They had already dropped Zaran off back at the Constitution and returned for the Spartans.  
James rolled across the ground and used his boots to knock Jason into a standing position. He and Bryce took off at a run, Alex behind them all, for the dropship. Then, Jason snared Alex with a tentacle and dragged him backwards with surprising. "No!" James cried as Jason whipped him over the edge. He screamed as he fell, and it was then that Jason knocked a button with another tentacle that caused the bulkhead below them to explode at the edges and drop away. This was used for quick deployment. A large planet of green was shown below, and the bulkhead halves slammed hard into the ground, creating a fiery landing for Alex, who jerked to a stop as the tentacle whipped down.  
"Surrender yourselves to me, or your comrade dies!" Jason hissed. "If I know anything about humans, it's that you won't sacrifice your friend!" He growled the word 'friend', and James knew then that the Flood inside Jason was talking, not the human himself.  
"Fight it!" James cried, desperate to help his friend. "You're not an enemy, you're one of my best friends in the world," he said quietly.  
Alex dropped further; Jason's hold was slacking. Alex screamed as he fell two more meters and then jolted to a halt. He was breathing too hard for it to be considered normal. Alex was terrified for his life. If James could pull this off, he'd never disobey that man again.  
"Pull him up!" James tried again as Jason fell to his knees. He was struggling to remember who he was, who he used to be, and bring all those memories back. Then, the memories poured into his brain. He remembered everything about his childhood, growing up on Earth with his parents, and best friends, James and Alex. He remembered Alex giving him a present for his sixth birthday, and when it broke, the young Alex hugged him and dried Jason's tears, promising to buy him another one. It was then that a bad memory, one of a Spartan, looking just like Alex, leaving him behind as enemies covered his body, leaving him to pain and sorrow. The Flood infection form living inside him fueled this anger and he roared in fury. "You did this to me!"  
Without warning, Jason hauled Alex up, used two tentacles to hold him upright, and rammed a tentacle through his chest. Alex gasped as the tantacle pierced his body, and blood began to spill onto the deckplates. "Nooooo!" James and Bryce shouted, but neither one of them moved. Alex's head lolled back, and he repeatedly gasped for breath. He was dying, and they all knew it. Jason was enjoying it; the tentacle had taken him through his right lung, and had barely missed his heart. A perfect kill, one that would not destroy the victim until he suffered greatly and suffocated to death.  
Alex brought up a hand from his side, revealing a fragmentation grenade, and scowled under his helmet. He spoke for the last time, "You son of a bitch," and then silently pulled the pin from the slot. In this moment, all that could be heard was the pin as it dropped to the catwalk, and in Jason's not-too-intelligent mind, the realization of what Alex had just done flooded his senses. He screamed in fury.  
The grenade went off just as Alex died, and hurled the two of them off the platform before Jason could remove himself from Alex's corpse. Jason's body was ripped open after the loud whump! and fire from the grenade, also torn by flying shrapnel. The two of them fell from the ship, through the open hatch, and sank away towards the shrinking surface. They were both lost forever.  
A swirl of emotions flashed through James's head, and he was vaguely aware of the fact that he had just lost the two people in his life that meant the most to him. Two people he would do anything for, move Heaven and Earth themselves if it were possible for them, end his own life for them, and now they were gone. Lost forever to the jungle far below. James sank to his knees and removed his helmet. The ghost-white face, masked for too long under a helmet and protected from sunlight, was covered in flowing, clear tears that formed rivulets down his cheek and onto his chin. Even after years of training against emotion, this was too much. He was barely aware of Bryce hauling him upright, and backwards into dropship Foehammer. He was also hardly aware of them turning from the now-falling battleship and leaving the moon behind.  
Jason and Alex, the friends he had known—loved, even—nearly from birth, were gone from his life, never to be seen again, both taken from him by the ones he hated more than the Covenant...the Flood. He swore to himself then that he would make the nasty parasites pay for what they did to his friends. James realized then that the Covenant had not taken any of his team...Brent had died due to being infested, Jason had killed Alex and Jarrett because of being infested, and Alex had killed Jason because the Colonel was infested. This whole mess wasn't the fault of the Covenant, it was the Flood who were responsible. It was the Flood he swore he would make pay in the end.  
Several minutes after dropship Foehammer cleared the atmosphere, the entire moon lit up like a ball of fire. The EMP device was off, and dangerous radiation had torched the planet. When the flaming gouts of fire cleared, all that was left was a desolate, barren wasteland of a moon, information of bygone species lost forever to its mysterious past. James intended to solve those mysteries and end his questions for good. Everything that was James and Bryce's past, their friends, was lost to them forever.  
Bryce turned to face his Commander, tears flowing freely down his now- exposed face (his helmet sitting at his side) and said only one thing the whole trip back, one thing that made James feel so much better, "They will be avenged." 


	28. Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28  
  
1804 Hours, August 13, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Docking bay of UNSC battle cruiser Consitution  
  
Dropship Foehammer came wheeling into the docking bay, engines flaring in protest through the zero-gravity as the docking bay doors closed behind them. Landing gear dropped from the ship's belly as it settled on the bay floor. On the back, the boarding door hissed open and a ramp extended. Down it walked the only surviving Spartans of the disaster at planet Raiek and its moon, Orean.  
"Welcome home, Spartans!" Captain Hank Moores said as he approached them, holding out his hand. "You did an excellent job eradicating those Covenant forces and, even though it cost four men of your team, Commander, your—" James pushed past the Captain and confronted Captain Martin, who was standing behind Moores looking extremely unhappy with himself and everyone around him.  
"You knew more than you told us. Why didn't you tell me about the EMP device?" he asked, frowning under his helmet, which was back on his head to hide the red, swollen eyes. "What about the Howlers? You never informed Moores or my team of any of this before we were sent down. I understand you gave Moores his orders." He pointed his MA5B accusingly at the Captain. "You could have sent us to our deaths!"  
"Perhaps I should explain myself," Martin said, his mood suddenly brightening. James nodded. "First things first...why didn't I tell you about the EMP device the Covenant hid in the core? Well, I didn't want to worry you."  
"How long ago did that thing get installed? I thought Fortress Orean was a human-built establishment?"  
"It was. Humans settled on the barren wasteland three hundred years ago, after we had barely achieved light-speed space travel. The planet itself was transformed through atmos-tranformation, a new technology we had developed at the time to change barren rocks like Orean into habitable ecosystems. Houses were erected and the moon became a human colony."  
"What about Raiek?" James pressed.  
Martin held up his hand. "I will get there in due time. A hundred years after the colony was built, an unknown race with howling cries came and destroyed the planet, turning it into a barren rock again, and killing thousands of humans. What remained of the colony fled the planet, and the Howlers followed, eventually killing off all of them. Fortress Orean was the last standing complex, and it was actually a weapon to fight off the Covenant, as you probably know, harnessing the plasma core of Raiek."  
"So this is where Raiek comes in," James interrupted.  
"Aye, Commander," Martin said, nodding. He continued. "The atmosphere of Raiek was much too harsh for human life, so Orean was used. When the Howlers destroyed it, the Fortress was turned to rubble. Hundreds of year later, along come the Covenant, and they decide they want to harness the plasma energy for themselves. They erected a complex called Daygars, named after a powerful Prophet, and used it as a site for 'harvesting,'" Martin held up two hands and moved his pointer finger and middle finger up and down to signal the quotations, "if you will, the plasma of Raiek, and delivering it to Orean, as we did. I needed to eradicate that force, but not let anyone know of the tragedy that happened beforehand, so history would not repeat itself."  
"Repeat itself?" Bryce asked.  
"When I got wind of the Howlers coming to the planet and moon, I covered it as best I could so as not to worry those who had heard of Orean hundreds of years ago."  
"At least you have some good points there," James grunted, shouldering his weapon.  
"I forgot to mention, when the Covenant took Fortress Orean for themselves, they realized they didn't have the atmos-transformation technology, so they set up an EMP device that slowly deflected radiation rays and allowed plant life to grow again, which they sped up using their own technology, turning Orean into the moon it once was."  
"What was in it for the Flood?" James asked.  
"After their defeat on Halo, the Flood were interested in defeating both the Covenant and the humans, but as you can tell, they succeeded at neither one."  
"Yes, they did," James muttered.  
"Pardon?"  
"You have some nice points, Captain," James said, straightening up and walking calmly towards the ship hatch beyond. "And I forgive your actions." He turned around and faced his Captain. "I expect a ceremony for my comrades' and my own services?"  
Moores was a superior officer to the Commander, of course, but he felt the certain need to fulfill the requests of the man that had saved the planet Earth, along with billions of humans.  
"Of course, Commander," Moores jumped in, looking haughty. "As soon as possible."  
"I thank you, sir, and if you'll excuse us, Spartans need their rest too...it's been a busy day..." With that, Master Commander James Carser and his only remaining teammate, Master Chief Bryce McClain, walked past the Captain and their officers, heading up into the barracks, looking forward to a peaceful and completely uninterrupted rest.  
"Ten-shun!" Captain Moores ordered as they retreated, his voice echoing all through the ship via his mic. Six hundred salutes, all coming from somewhere within the ship, saluted the two survivors. They had become true, respected heroes.  
  
Three days later, a memorial service was held for the four Spartans and several dozen Marines that had lost their lives to eliminate outpost Raiek. Since no bodies could possibly be recovered from that type of an explosion, empty caskets engraved with the names—General Alex Daufel, Sergeant Brent Ashley, Colonel Jason Lent, Lieutenant Jarrett Daufel—sat in a row, with the Silver Star medal placed on top.  
Commander James Carser, wearing not his Spartan armor, but the traditional UNSC uniform, stood with countless badges pinned to his chest—including the recently-added Purple Heart—and watched. The four caskets sank into Earth's soil at about the same time, lowered by cranes and placed on the hole's bottom. Standing up at the head of the rows of Marines watching was Captain Frank Martin. Alongside him stood Captain Hank Moores. Directly in front of them stood four battle-dressed Marines—one to represent each Spartan that had died—and held an ancient type of rifle in their hands. The elongated barrel was pointed towards the sky, and they rested the back of the weapon on their shoulder. This type of weapon had been used during World War II, hundreds of years before.  
"Ready!" Martin boomed, indicating the Marines. The four Marines raised their guns and aimed them away from anyone, towards the sky behind the Captains. "Fire!" One shot. "Fire!" Another shot. "Fire!" A third shot. "Fire!" The final shot rang out, as Carser watched, standing beside McClain, who was also out of his armor.  
Those four shots had indicated each Spartan that had died in battle. Carser remembered when Reach fell, thousands of Marines had lined up and fired at the same time. The resulting noise had deafened them for several seconds. McClain looked sideways at his Commander and saw tears course their way down his cheeks, one from either eye.  
The trumpet began to play, booming out the death march as another Marine stepped up to the front of the line. Notes hit Carser's heart like a hammer, making him fully grasp the fact that he was never going to see his lost friends again. When the final note hit, and the trumpeteer finally silenced himself, James Carser cried one last time, wiped away his tears, and saluted with the rest of the Marines.  
"Ten-shun!" the trumpeteer barked. "Salute!"  
Two thousand salutes came at the same time, and the Spartans were laid to rest. 


	29. Epilogue

EPILOGUE  
  
1247 Hours, August 17, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Two light-years from planet Raiek in the bridge of the UNSC battle cruiser, Constitution  
  
"Captain, what's that?"  
Leaning over the low-ranked officer on radar duty, Captain Martin shrugged his broad shoulders and ran a hand through his short, brown hair. "Who knows? Try and bring it up on the large screen," he said, placing himself in the Captain's chair.  
In front of the whole bridge crew, a large image of an aircraft leaving the moon known as Orean could be seen, in complete tatters but obviously flight-worthy nonetheless. "What is that, sir?" Murmuers could be heard, often this one, throughought the bridge. No one could even begin to guess what the gigantic object floating across the screen was. It was just as big as the Constitution itself.  
"Holy—!" Martin breathed, ending with a swear. "It's the Pillar of Winter!"  
  
On the bottom edge of the Constitution, dragged there by Foehammer itself just before it left Orean, was a single infection form Flood, the only survivor of the disaster at planet Raiek and its moon. The sole survivor clung to the bow of the ship, latching its twenty-one tendrils into the sheetmetal and slowly dragging itself towards an exhaust port. As they were in space, this was not used, so the infection form slithered in, squeezed around various equipment, and eventually found itself in the ventilation system, able to move freely about the ship. While the humans thought they had eliminated every single Flood monstrosity, they missed one... 


End file.
